Jammu and Kashmir has successfully met its ambitious goal of planting 150 lakh seedlings under ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign.

Lauding the achievement of Forest, Ecology and Environment, Javed Ahmed Rana credited it to the collective efforts of government agencies, village-level institutions, local people and other stakeholders.

 “The aim of the campaign is to contain land degradation and promote restoration of degraded land for a sustainable future,” he said adding that the campaign aligns with the quest for sustainable development.  He commended the efforts of Forest department in leading the campaign saying that tree plantation raises awareness about environmental sustainability and the importance of afforestation.

“Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” was launched across the country to encourage the people to plant a tree as a mark of love, respect and honour for their mothers and pledge to protect trees and earth.

The Forest Department led the campaign for planting 1,50,18,803 saplings in J&K, involving the students, NGOs, security forces, government departments, citizens and nature lovers.

Under the initiative, the Forest department and its wings planted 91 lakh plants on forest and non-forest lands. Besides, it distributed 59 lakh plants among various stakeholders for planting at various locations throughout the Union Territory.

More than one lakh plants were planted by Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and about two lakh plants were distributed on the day of Eid-ul-Fitr.

Javed Rana complimented various sections of the society for their contribution in achieving the target. He said that each stakeholder has made substantial contributions to this initiative, demonstrating a collective commitment towards sustainability, green cover enhancement and fostering public engagement.

“It was heartening to see how enthusiastically people embraced the campaign, reinforcing the importance of environmental stewardship for the well-being of future generations. We would not have been able to achieve the target  without the active participation of the local people” he said.

During the campaign, the forest department sensitised the locals about the importance of tree plantation in combating the climate change and enhancing greenery.