Van Mahotsav: UP kids born in July first week to receive sapling, certificate
The initiative, a part of Van Mahotsav, the annual plantation drive, will include all government health facilities – district hospitals, community health centres (CHCs), primary health centres (PHCs), and other government healthcare facilities. Till the child grows up, it will be the responsibility of the parents to plant and protect the sapling, just as they would take care of their child.
Under the Van Mahotsav - which runs between July 1 and July 7 - divisional forest officers have been directed to visit hospitals and coordinate with health officials to ensure that every institutional delivery is marked by the gifting of a sapling and a certificate.
Priority will be given to tree species such as Teak and Sheesham for gift-giving purposes. Parents will also be encouraged to plant the saplings in vacant spaces and take responsibility for their care.
The 'Green Gold Certificate' will serve as a lifelong reminder of the child's bond with nature and the shared responsibility of safeguarding the environment, said the official.
Uttar Pradesh principal chief conservator of forests and head of department, Sunil Chaudhary, said, 'Gifting a sapling to a newborn symbolises not just growth and life but also prosperity and environmental responsibility.'
The forest department and the health department are working on the modalities of the campaign. The aim is not only to mark the birth of each child with a symbol of prosperity but also to inspire families to plant and nurture trees, contributing to the state's environmental goals. On an average about 15K children are born in the state every day, mostly at government health facilities.
The state has planned a plantation of over 35 crore saplings for which the first week of July is crucial with maximum plantation slated to happen.
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