Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang on Thursday launched an initiative under which 100 trees will be planted for every child born in the Himalayan state. Officials said the initiative, named ‘Mero Rukh Mero Santati’ (Plant a tree, leave a legacy), aims to strengthen the bond between parents, children and nature by planting trees to commemorate the birth of a child.
CM Tamang said, “Seeing the trees grow as the child grows will be a symbolic way of welcoming a new born baby and celebrating their arrival on this earth. This is the first of its kind innovative green initiative in India.” ”
In the program, CM Tamang also distributed symbolic plants to some parents. Forest Secretary Pradeep Kumar said that this initiative will change people’s attitude towards nature and saplings planted on the occasion of the birth of a child will build a bridge between generations. Tamang said that the society of Sikkim has had a close relationship with nature since ancient times.
We respect nature: CM
The CM said that we not only respect our mountains, lakes, rivers, caves and waterfalls, but consider the entire environment sacred. The aim of this initiative is to strengthen the age-old relationship of our society with nature. It aspires to create an ecosystem where both the tree and the child are able to reach towards the sun, a brighter tomorrow that promises vitality, health and happiness.
The population of the state is close to 6 lakhs.
Sikkim Chief Secretary VB Pathak said that the success of the initiative would require the various departments of the state government to come together to provide seamless service to new parents. He said that ASHA and Anganwadi workers, panchayats, civic bodies and forest staff would need to facilitate the onboarding of parents. He said digital platforms like WhatsApp, email and web portals have enabled new parents to connect. According to the Sikkim Information Commission, the population of Sikkim is approximately 6.32 lakhs.