G.L. Khajuria Retd (DCF)
One who plants one pipal, one neem, ten flowering plants or creepers, five mango trees, two pomegranates, two oranges will not go to hell. Varnapurana- (172-39).
The forest, the trees, the flora and the fauna housing in and around us all are our kinsmen. These do deserve protection and preservation. Some 64(Sixty Four) year back first vanamahostava was celebrated to awake the public masses in general globally for survival and subsistence of existing flora and fauna over the globe (Mother Earth). Its celebration was to awake the public masses in general and younger generation in particular about the importance of forest, its wildlife and to create awareness of tree culture, the biodiversity and maintenance of environment stability by way of conservation and preservation of vast ecosystem.
The reverence of forest conservation and preservation has been honored with due regards in our old scriptures of all religions the vedas, purans and the upanisads and the Ramayan and Mahabharates. Mr. J Evenly has well remarked “We had better be without gold than without trees”. But, ironically this is dismally a matter of pity that in today’s world this asset is going to driven to the verge of extinction globally, so to say heading towards death-knell. The axe and the gun had over the years been the only tools in the hands of mad civilized man to eke out living not only for his need but more so for greed. Still sad is the careless handling of cigarette bit which may spell the doom of forestry business and destroy the wildlife housing in and around the forest.
Our late president, Dr. Rajinder Prasad rightfully remarked, ” I wonder sometimes, if there is any other source which gives us so much and of which we know so little as forest “. Trees are poems, the Mother Earth writes upon the sky, we fell them down and turn into paper that we may record our emptiness. The present day’s scenario, therefore, evokes us all to be forestry conscious to safe guard Mother Earth.
More and more is the call of the hour to create awareness to every nook and corner of the world and the younger generation have far reaching role to play with if at all we have to faithfully defend our extincting flora and fauna, dwindling and decimating forests – the green Gold. And in the same vein, it is added here what has sheikh Nur-u-Din wali remarked. Ann Paoshi Tele Yelo Poshi Van ( Food will last so long as forests).
K M Munshi, the then Food and Agriculture Minister commented when the first “Vanamanostava” was celebrated, may the Gods, the water, the plants and forest trees accept our players and may their blessings protect forever and ever “. And also he emphasized that if the nation has to survive, the philosophy of life must be understood not only in words, ideas and achievements but in terms which would replants us firmly on the earth and under shady tree.
Our forest, unlike any other natural wealth is renewable. Their protection and preservation is as important as our life is to us but these have been victimized by human threats.
We, therefore, in unison should joins hands tirelessly to put in our efforts by maximizing extensive/intensive plantation drive on all available areas to ensure a green globe.Mere seminars or symposium, painting and easy competitions are not going to hold any good. We have to come up in practical sanctity and every one of us irrespective of gender have to plant at least ten plants as the saying goes; “equal to ten wells is a tank; equal to ten tanks is a son and equal to ten sons is a tree” ( Agni Puranas). And not only that we have not to abandon after planting but bring them up like our progenies with utmost affections.
The practical sanctity and sensitization is the call at this juncture when we humans are subjected to over population, global warming, ever escalating pollution, serious water crises. Though the list is endless but it need to be remembered that the appealing of revered Bhagwat Gita,” every endeavor is covered with some sort of fault just as fire is covered by smoke, therefore one should not give up such work which is borne of nature even if such work is full of faults.
And to cap it all, let us all under one roof take a similar pledge which every American school children takes ” a conservation pledge” which reads, ” I give my pledge as an American to save and faithfully defend the natural resources of my country its soil, its mineral, its forests, water and wildlife.
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