Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday started Vriksharopan Jan Abhiyan from Bijnor by planting a sapling of ‘Kalpavriksha’ on the banks of Ganga.
Inaugurating the state-wide massive plantation drive, the Chief Minister distributed saplings to schoolchildren and called upon every individual to plant saplings extensively to save the environment.
Earlier, he laid the foundation stone of the Government Sanskrit Inter College at Vidur Kuti. He also inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of various development projects worth Rs 445 crore.
Addressing the public gathering, Chief Minister Yogi noted that Bijnor has a long history dating back thousands of years.
“This is the sacred meditation place of Mahatma Vidur, where Ganga’s son Bhishma also spent his childhood. This is the land where Lord Krishna preferred to eat ‘Sarson Ka Saag’ at Mahatma Vidur’s home to Duryodhana’s ‘Malpua’ because Mahatma Vidur is a symbol of righteousness and public welfare.”
Congratulating the people of Uttar Pradesh for Vriksharopan Jan Abhiyan-2023, Yogi said: “With the planting of 30 crore saplings as part of the state’s extensive plantation campaign, UP is setting a new record today.”
Jal Shakti Minister Swatantra Dev Singh, Forest Minister Arun Kumar Saxena, Additional Chief Secretary, Forest, Manoj Singh, Principal Secretary, Home, Sanjay Prasad, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Mamta Sanjeev Dubey, and former Minister Ashok Kataria among others were present.