I am happy to know that the Department of Environment & Forests, A&N Administration is celebrating “68th Van Mahotsav” in these Islands alongwith rest of the Country during the month of July, 2017 with active involvement of people of these Islands.I am happy to know that the Department of Environment & Forests, A&N Administration is celebrating “68th Van Mahotsav” in these Islands alongwith rest of the Country during the month of July, 2017 with active involvement of people of these Islands.
Van Mahotsav, the festival of tree planting owes its origin to the great visionary, Late K.M. Munshi, the then Union Minister for Food & Agriculture who launched the programme in 1950 with the slogan “Tree means water, water means Food and Food is life”. The benevolent services rendered by trees and forests in supporting the life on Earth and their contribution in mitigating the ill effects of soil erosion, air pollution, global warming, climate change etc. deserves not only our respect but also our obligation to protect and conserve them for our posterity.
Over the years there has been ever increasing demand for timber, fuel and fodder. To meet such demand there is a need on the part of one and all to grow more trees. The farmers should also grow trees on some parts of their land holdings so that their timber requirements can be easily met. Similarly, all Govt. Departments/Private Organizations/Panchayati Raj Institutions and public should make efforts to take up tree planting on their vacant lands to ameliorate the environment. We should not end with the ritual of planting saplings but should ensure that the sapling planted grows well by nurturing them.
On this occasion, I would appeal to all inhabitants of these Islands to grow more trees, to keep these Islands more green, clean and prosperous.
I extend my best wishes to the people of our Islands for successful observance of the “68th Van Mahotsav” celebration.
Sd/-
Prof JagdishMukhiLieutenant GovernorAndaman and Nicobar Islands
