Harela festival kicks off with target to plant 5 lakh saplings
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the festival by planting a Rudraksh sapling at the Gorkha Military Intermediate College in Dehradun. He also distributed soil health cards for 24 forest divisions, developed by the Forest Research Institute.
Highlighting the state's environmental initiatives, Dhami said, "Through the Spring and River Rejuvenation Authority (SARRA), over 6,500 water sources have been conserved and 3.12 million cubic meters of rainwater harvested."
The state forest department has set a target of planting at least five lakh saplings during the festival — three lakh in Garhwal and two lakh in Kumaon — across 2,400 designated sites.
Forest minister Subodh Uniyal said the state has maintained a nearly 80% sapling survival rate over the past three years. Principal chief conservator of forests Samir Sinha said by Wednesday, at least 8.13 lakh saplings had been planted. Agriculture minister Ganesh Joshi also announced that the agriculture and horticulture departments aim to plant 15 lakh fruit tree saplings.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
17-07-2025
- Hans India
8 dead, 5 hurt as jeep falls into gorge in Pithoragarh
Pithoragarh: Eight people were killed and five others injured when a jeep plunged into a deep gorge in Suni village in the Thal area of Pithoragarh district, officials said. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the incident and announced financial assistance to the families of the deceased. The incident occurred when the vehicle, carrying passengers to Bokta village from Muwani market, lost control and fell into a gorge, Station House Officer of Thal police station Shankar Singh Rawat said. He said the deceased include five women and three men, all local residents, and the driver is among those killed. Upon receiving information, a police team and personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) rushed to the spot and, with the help of local residents, launched a rescue and relief operation. The injured were pulled out of the gorge and admitted to a hospital in Muwani for treatment, officials said. Pithoragarh District Disaster Management Officer Bhupendra Singh Maher said that all eight bodies were recovered. He said that prima facie, the cause of the accident appears to be driver negligence and overloading of the vehicle. District Magistrate Vinod Goswami also said that the vehicle appeared to be carrying more passengers than its capacity. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami wrote on the social media platform 'X', 'The condolences expressed by the Prime Minister on the Pithoragarh road accident and the financial assistance provided from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund will give strength to the bereaved family in this difficult time.' He added that the state government would also provide Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 each to the injured. 'The state government stands firmly with the families of the deceased and is committed to providing all possible assistance to the injured,' Dhami said.
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Time of India
Harela festival kicks off with target to plant 5 lakh saplings
Dehradun: The Harela festival, a traditional celebration rooted in the agricultural heritage of Uttarakhand's Kumaon region, began on Wednesday. Symbolising prosperity, fertility and the onset of the sowing season, this year's festivities continue with the theme 'ek paed maa ke naam' (plant a tree in Mother Earth's name) — a call to repay our debt to nature by planting trees. CM Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the festival by planting a Rudraksh sapling at the Gorkha Military Intermediate College in Dehradun. He also distributed soil health cards for 24 forest divisions, developed by the Forest Research Institute. Highlighting the state's environmental initiatives, Dhami said, "Through the Spring and River Rejuvenation Authority (SARRA), over 6,500 water sources have been conserved and 3.12 million cubic meters of rainwater harvested." The state forest department has set a target of planting at least five lakh saplings during the festival — three lakh in Garhwal and two lakh in Kumaon — across 2,400 designated sites. Forest minister Subodh Uniyal said the state has maintained a nearly 80% sapling survival rate over the past three years. Principal chief conservator of forests Samir Sinha said by Wednesday, at least 8.13 lakh saplings had been planted. Agriculture minister Ganesh Joshi also announced that the agriculture and horticulture departments aim to plant 15 lakh fruit tree saplings.
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Time of India
Gita shlokas to be recited daily in Uttarakhand govt schools
D Tired of too many ads? go ad free now ehradun: One shloka from the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita will be recited in all government schools across Uttarakhand during prayer meetings, according to an order issued on Monday. The directive, issued by director of secondary education Dr Mukul Kumar Sati to all chief education officers, states that students should also be informed about the meaning and scientific relevance of the shloka recited each day. The move aims to blend modern education with traditional Indian knowledge systems and inculcate human values and character-building traits in the students. As per the order, teachers are required to select one shloka every week as the "Shloka of the Week", write it along with its meaning on the school notice board, and ensure that students practice it. At the end of the week, the shloka will be discussed in class, and student feedback will be taken. Teachers have been directed to explain the principles of the Bhagavad Gita to students from time to time and highlight how these teachings contribute to the development of human values, leadership skills, emotional balance, decision-making abilities and scientific thinking. The order emphasises that the teachings of the Gita are rooted in psychology, logic, behavioural science and moral philosophy, and should be introduced from a secular perspective. It also notes that the initiative aligns with the objectives of the national education policy (NEP) 2020, which advocates the integration of India's traditional knowledge systems into modern education. The directive underlines that Gita shlokas should not be taught merely as reading material but must be reflected in students' daily behaviour and attitude. "It should be ensured at every level that the teachings of the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita and their scientific approach are used for character development, self-control, balanced life approach, personality growth, and to make students better citizens," the order states. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had earlier directed that teachings from the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita and the Ramayana be incorporated into the state curriculum. Accordingly, textbooks aligned with the new framework are expected to be introduced from the next academic session. Welcoming the move, Uttarakhand Madarsa education board president Mufti Shamoon Qasmi said, "Ram and Krishna both are our ancestors, and it is very important for every Indian to know about them." He added that such initiatives will foster unity and promote state progress. He also said that the madrassa board plans to sign an MoU with the sanskrit department to introduce Sanskrit in madrassas.
