In a unique initiative that would not only promote the cause of ‘Save Girl Child’ campaign but also help in increasing green cover in Himachal Pradesh, Tharjoon panchayat in Seraj assembly constituency of Mandi district has decided to plant a tree on the birth of a newborn daughter.

The initiative has been started by the youngest panchayat pradhan, Jabna Chauhan in her Tharjoon panchayat to link ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign with environmental conservation.

The panchayat members have decided to plant 11 trees on the birth of a daughter in the panchayat area and the campaign has already been started on 12 March.

“We have titled the campaign as ‘Beti Bachao, Van Bachao, Puadha Lagao’ (Save Girl, Save Forests and Plant Trees) under which trees would be planted by including the locals and parents of the child,” Jabna Chauhan said.

Chauhan said there is a constant degradation of hills landscape and significant decline in snowfall and rains over the years in Himachal Pradesh owing to depleting forest cover.

“By planting trees, the locals would not only be encouraged towards to ‘Save Girl’ campaign but it would also aware them about environment conservation,” she said.

She said the campaign would be strictly followed in the panchayat in future and they would aim to make plantation drive on the birth of girl child a norm in her panchayat.

She urged the locals to help panchayat members in carrying the novel campaign in future too.

It is worthwhile to mention here that Jabna Chauhan had started her mission to aware locals about the ill effects of alcohol and tobacco products abuse after getting elected as Pradhan in 2016 at the age of 22.

After taking over as pradhan of Tharjoon panchayat, she contacted all 5 Mahila Mandal groups in her panchayat and even formed a group of local youth.

She convinced the locals to submit a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner for closing liquor vend in the area.

Her efforts after prolonged discussions between the members of Tharjoon Gram Panchayat and its residents had led to passing of a resolution in February to ban sale and consumption of liquor and tobacco products from 1 March 2017.

The campaign then spread to other panchayat of district Mandi and it led to ban on liquor and tobacco products in around 15-20 panchayats.

Chauhan had also won the district level award of Best Pradhan and her panchayat was adjudged first in district in terms of cleanliness.

She was also the member of delegation to national level function of women panchayat representatives at Gandhinagar in Gujarat in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also participated.

Recently, she had participated as Chief Guest in a programme on Women’s Empowerment and Swachh Bharat Mission that was organized by Jharkhand government.