On World Environment Day, PM Modi flags off Aravalli reforestation plan
Prime Minister Narendra Modi planted a sapling at the Bhagwan Mahavir Vanasthali Park here on World Environment Day on Thursday, extending the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign and launching a special initiative to reforest the 700-km Aravalli mountain range that stretches from Delhi to Gujarat.
In a post on X, the prime minister said the Aravalli range is one of the oldest on the planet, covering Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi, and that the last several years have brought to the fore several environmental challenges relating to the range, which his government is committed to mitigating.
"Our focus is to rejuvenate areas linked with this range. We are going to work with the respective local administrations and emphasise things such as improving water systems, curbing dust storms, stopping eastward expansion of the Thar desert and more," he said.
"In the Aravalli range and beyond, in addition to the traditional planting methods, we will encourage new techniques, especially in urban and semi-urban areas where there are space constraints. Plantation activities will be geo-tagged and monitored on the Meri LiFE portal," he said.
The prime minister called upon the youth to take part in the movement and contribute to increasing the planet's green cover. He also flagged off electric buses under the Delhi government's sustainable transport initiative.
"This will also improve 'Ease of Living' for the people of Delhi," PM Modi said. The Aravalli Green Wall Project is a major initiative to expand green cover in the five-km buffer area around the Aravallis in 29 districts of the three states and a Union territory.
The government said this initiative will play a crucial role in combating air pollution in the region, achieving India's climate goal of creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent and restoring 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030.
The project will enhance the biodiversity of the Aravallis through afforestation, reforestation and restoration of water bodies. It will also help improve soil fertility and water availability in the region, the government said.
It added that the project will benefit local communities by generating employment and income opportunities.
The chief ministers of Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat also participated in the launch of the project.
Officials from the environment ministry said around 1,000 nurseries will be developed in the 29 districts located in the Aravalli range as part of the initiative.
The five-km wide green buffer will cover 6.45 million hectares across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi. Within this buffer zone, about 42 per cent (2.7 million hectares) of land is currently degraded.
The Aravalli range acts as a natural barrier against desertification, preventing the expansion of the Thar desert and protecting cities such as Delhi, Jaipur and Gurugram.
It is also the source of important rivers such as the Chambal, Sabarmati and Luni. Its forests, grasslands and wetlands support endangered plant and animal species.
However, deforestation, mining, livestock grazing, and human encroachment are worsening desertification, damaging aquifers, drying up lakes and reducing the range's ability to sustain wildlife.
Of the total degraded area, 81 per cent is in Rajasthan, 15.8 per cent in Gujarat, 1.7 per cent in Haryana and 1.6 per cent in Delhi.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Gazette
an hour ago
- India Gazette
Navy personnel celebrate International Yoga Day on-board INS Vikramaditya
New Delhi [India], June 21 (ANI): The Indian Navy marked International Yoga Day 2025 by conducting a special yoga session on board the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya. A video shared by the Navy showed personnel performing various yoga asanas on the ship's deck. Apart from this, 11,000 personnel from the Eastern Naval Command, along with their family members, performed yoga onboard Indian Navy ships and across the Vizag coastline. Eastern Naval Command is proud to join hands with YogAndhra 2025, a landmark initiative spearheaded by the Ministry of Ayush and the State Government of Andhra Pradesh, celebrating the International Day of Yoga in the coastal city of Visakhapatnam, an official statement from the Indian Navy said. Apart from this, the Indian Army also organised a yoga session at the world's highest battlefield, in Siachen. Multiple soldiers, veterans, families and children participated in the session. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took part in the 11th International Day of Yoga celebrations, where he hailed yoga as a gift 'beyond age' that transcends all boundaries and unites humanity in 'health and harmony.' The event took place against the scenic backdrop of the Visakhapatnam coastline, with Indian Navy ships stationed near the shore, adding to the grandeur of the celebrations. The Prime Minister praised the efforts of the Andhra Pradesh government and extended his appreciation to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan for hosting the event in Visakhapatnam. He lauded their leadership as 'inspiring' and described the state's initiative to promote yoga as 'commendable.' Over three lakh individuals joined him for a mass yoga session in the coastal city, reinforcing this year's message that 'yoga belongs to everyone' and brings the world together. The Prime Minister recalled India's initiative at the United Nations in 2014 to declare June 21 as International Yoga Day, a move that received wide global support in record time. (ANI)
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Congress names 40 district, city unit chiefs for Gujarat
After a process that lasted more than two months and saw senior Congress leaders visit 26 Lok Sabha constituencies, 182 Assembly segments, and 235 Blocks, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) Saturday appointed 40 chiefs of district and city units for Gujarat under the the 'Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan' — a pilot project intended to empower the district units. The list saw only one woman leader, Sonal Patel, who will head the Ahmedabad City unit. Patel, a former vice president of the Congress Mahila Morcha was the candidate against Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the 2024 LS polls from Gandhinagar constituency. She replaces former mayor and ex-MLA Himmatsinh Patel. 'Ahmedabad city president is a position that carries a lot of weight,' said a Congress leader. At least five of the DCC presidents were repeated — Rutvij Joshi (Vadodara city), Jashpalsinh Padhiyar (Vadodara district), Naushad Solanki (Surendranagar), Pratap Dudhat (Amreli), and Rajendrasinh Rana (Bharuch city). The party said the newly appointed DCC chiefs 'represent Gujarat's social and regional diversity and have been chosen for their grassroots connection, ideological clarity, and organisational ability'. At the AICC Session on April 9-10 in Gujarat, held in the state for the first time in about 60 years, district units were identified as key building blocks to build the Congress back-up. While this is a nationwide project, the Congress launched the pilot from Gujarat, a state where the party has been out of power now for 30 years and which is identified most closely with the BJP's rise post-Modi. The party on April 12 appointed 43 AICC and 183 PCC observers comprising senior leaders, including state in-charges, MPs, MLAs, and former PCC presidents, to oversee the appointments and make recommendations to the party high command. A statement issued on Saturday night by Congress general secretary in-charge (organisation) K C Venugopal said: 'The Abhiyan, launched to revitalise the party structure from booth to district level, focused on transparent, inclusive, and ideology-based leadership selection.' – With inputs from ENS Ahmedabad Asad Rehman is with the national bureau of The Indian Express and covers politics and policy focusing on religious minorities in India. A journalist for over eight years, Rehman moved to this role after covering Uttar Pradesh for five years for The Indian Express. During his time in Uttar Pradesh, he covered politics, crime, health, and human rights among other issues. He did extensive ground reports and covered the protests against the new citizenship law during which many were killed in the state. During the Covid pandemic, he did extensive ground reporting on the migration of workers from the metropolitan cities to villages in Uttar Pradesh. He has also covered some landmark litigations, including the Babri Masjid-Ram temple case and the ongoing Gyanvapi-Kashi Vishwanath temple dispute. Prior to that, he worked on The Indian Express national desk for three years where he was a copy editor. Rehman studied at La Martiniere, Lucknow and then went on to do a bachelor's degree in History from Ramjas College, Delhi University. He also has a Masters degree from the AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia. ... Read More
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Nicknames, Humour & Advice: How PM Modi's Personal Touch Inspires NDA's Young Turks
Last Updated: The prime minister's leadership is marked by an emotional intelligence that often goes unseen in conventional politics On the morning of June 21, as the Sun rose over the coastal town of Visakhapatnam, a state-wide celebration of International Yoga Day unfolded in Andhra Pradesh. But beyond the Yoga mats and pranayama sessions, what truly struck a chord with the people was Prime Minister Narendra Modi's warm and public praise for a rising leader—Nara Lokesh, son of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. In his address, PM Modi didn't just compliment Lokesh's month-and-a-half-long effort to turn Yoga Day into a people's movement, he affectionately referred to him as 'Bhai", not once but multiple times. The crowd noticed, and so did the political observers. A spontaneous moment the evening before had already gone viral—a candid photo of PM Modi placing a friendly arm around Lokesh and the two sharing a laugh. In Andhra's political circles, the message was loud and clear: Lokesh had arrived. But this wasn't a one-off interaction. Recently, PM Modi invited Lokesh and his family to his official residence in Delhi. Over two hours, they discussed governance, politics, personal anecdotes, and even Lokesh's young son, Devansh, who walked away utterly delighted. It was a rare, relaxed meeting that showed how the prime minister nurtures personal relationships even in the thick of political life. If Lokesh is the 'Bhai", then Shrikant Shinde, Shiv Sena MP and son of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, is the 'Bhau". A moniker usually reserved for an elder brother, the nickname was picked up by PM Modi after hearing how fellow MPs affectionately referred to Shrikant during an international delegation tour. Back home, even Eknath Shinde couldn't hide his pride. During a speech on Shiv Sena Foundation Day, an emotional Shinde Sr spoke of how his son had made every Sena worker proud—and even more so, his own father. PM Modi's mentorship style isn't always loud or ceremonial—but rather consistent, direct, and deeply personal. One of the youngest ministers in his cabinet, TDP's Rammohan Naidu, discovered this during one of the most emotionally taxing times: the Air India crash in Ahmedabad. As the minister in-charge faced growing pressure and grief, PM Modi offered crucial advice—remain calm, composed, and focused. He cited his own experiences during natural disasters, including moments where he had personally lifted victims' bodies during relief efforts. At a review meeting in Ahmedabad, the prime minister emphasised, 'It's easy to get emotional; staying steady is the true test of leadership." Such interactions reflect how Modi communicates not just with ministers, but with fellow MPs across party lines. Whether it's telling TDP MPs to 'call him anytime" if they need anything—'after all, he's an MP too"—or advising LJP leaders to make the most of their 'MY" (Mahila-Yuva) combination, Modi's messages resonate with both the politically seasoned and the first-timers. For many within the NDA, these aren't just niceties—they are moments of validation, encouragement, and connection. Take, for instance, Chirag Paswan, who often says Modi is his 'Ram", while he sees himself as 'Hanuman". The emotional bond is deeply felt, especially given the personal and political upheavals Chirag has faced. Children and teenagers too have stories. Whether it's Jaiveer Shergill's daughter, who was told by the PM, 'If your father troubles you, come to me," or the late Ananth Kumar's grandson, who declared to PM Modi that he wanted to grow up to be 'Hanuman", the anecdotes are as endearing as they are telling. Even Poonam Mahajan's daughter, upon meeting PM Modi, simply assumed he was her 'Ajoba" (grandfather)—because he was, in her words, 'so cool". Whether it's through affectionate nicknames like 'Bhai" and 'Bhau", informal dinners, or deeply human conversations during national crises, Modi's leadership is marked by an emotional intelligence that often goes unseen in conventional politics. He isn't just steering the ship—he's also cultivating the next line of captains. These moments may not always make it to the headlines, but for those involved, they become defining memories.
