Citizens lend support to tree plantation initiatives

PUNE: When the summer heat turned excruciating this year, parents of children studying in Indus International School Pune, Bhugaon, suggested that the administration consider installing air-conditioners in classrooms. School authorities, however, looked for a green solution.
An idea was mooted to offset the increasing heat by planting more trees around the campus.Students, along with the staff and environmentally-conscious parents, recently undertook a tree plantation drive to coincide with the state initiative to increase the green cover in Maharashtra.
For the past few Saturdays, the group has been gathering in the school to plant various saplings and trees.
As yet, more than 500 trees and saplings have been planted. Presently, the expected increase in green cover around the school has helped shelve the air conditioning plan.
Principal of the school Sandeep Chhabra credits the effort on the students’ ‘green’ approach. “We are certain that, with the help of these trees, the ambient heat in our school will reduce. We want our campus to be eco-friendly and I am glad our students are passionate about the environment,” he said.
Tree plantation drives have caught on across the city. Everyone from students to the elderly, from office-goers to the environment activists have been pitching in to do their bit.
Vishwakarma Institute of Information technology (VIIT) in association with Rotary Club NIBM, Gujjarwadi Gram Panchayat and the Forest Ministry had organized a tree plantation event on Monday. About 50 volunteer planted 3,000 trees at the event.
At Bharati Vidyapeeth English Medium School in Balewadi, trees were planted as part of a ‘Screen to Green’ drive by Mahima B Bulani, divisional head of the Indian Association of Dental Students to inspire as many as 700 students to get away from screens and closer to nature.
A similar drive was conducted recently at Oxford Golf Resort where 200 staff and club members planted 7,000 saplings.