Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini called for environmental conservation to become a people’s movement rooted in cultural values. At the 77th State-Level Van Mahotsav in Manesar, he said tree plantation is a collective responsibility for future generations.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday called upon citizens to actively participate in environmental conservation, saying protecting nature should become a people’s movement rooted in India’s cultural values.
Addressing the 77th State-Level Van Mahotsav in Manesar as the chief guest, the Chief Minister said tree plantation is not merely a government programme but a collective responsibility towards future generations.
Speaking at the event, Saini said that Van Mahotsav represents a commitment to repay humanity’s debt to nature and urged people to convert their resolve for environmental protection into a lasting value system.
“Van Mahotsav is not just a tree plantation programme. It is an opportunity to transform our commitment into a value system and that value system into a mass movement,” he said.
Congratulating officials of the Forest Department and citizens contributing to the state’s green initiatives, the Chief Minister said India has always regarded nature with reverence and that environmental conservation has been an integral part of the country’s Sanatan cultural tradition for centuries.
Expanding the Green Movement
He informed that the first phase of this year’s Van Mahotsav was organised in Karnal on July 30 and announced that similar plantation programmes would now be held across all 90 Assembly constituencies of Haryana to encourage wider public participation.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign, Saini said the Haryana Government has worked to transform the initiative into a statewide public movement by encouraging citizens to plant trees in the name of their mothers.
The Chief Minister said preserving the greenery and ecological balance of rapidly developing regions such as Manesar and Gurugram is a shared responsibility. He announced that the state government would undertake large-scale plantation drives on Panchayat and public lands and is preparing a scheme to encourage farmers to conserve rare and endangered tree species.
State’s Environmental Achievements
Highlighting the state’s achievements in environmental conservation, Saini said Haryana planted 15.2 million saplings during the 2025-26 financial year. He added that the government has established 58 herbal parks to promote the conservation and cultivation of medicinal plants and is developing Panchvati plantations in every village to enhance green cover and improve the natural environment.
He further said that 610 Van Mitras have been engaged to protect planted saplings and expand forest cover across the state. The government has also expanded the Pran Vayu Devta Yojana to recognise and conserve heritage trees of ecological importance.
Emphasising the need to balance infrastructure growth with environmental protection, Saini said development should not come at the cost of nature “True development is one where roads are built alongside shade-giving trees,” he said.
The Chief Minister also highlighted that Sultanpur National Park and Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary have received international recognition as Ramsar sites. He appealed to every citizen to plant tree species suited to local climatic conditions, saying Haryana’s green cover is a shared responsibility.
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav and Haryana’s Environment, Forest and Wildlife Minister Rao Narbir Singh also addressed the gathering and reiterated the need for collective efforts towards environmental conservation. (ANI)
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