To ensure incessant flow of water in the Narmada flowing out of dense forests, five crore saplings would be planted in the state on July 2. Forest Minister Gauri Shankar Shejwar said this here on Tuesday, while distributing prizes to the winners of the painting, essay and photography competitions organized during the Jal-Van-Narmada-Bhopal People’s Awareness campaign.
Additional Chief Secretary Forest Deepak Khandekar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Animesh Shukla, Member Secretary State Bio-diversity Board R Srinivas Murthy and well-known litterateur Amritlal Vegad were also present.
Shejwar said that it is mentioned in the Puranas that the Narmada will return the glory of the dried up rivers. Today hundreds and thousands of years later, the resurrection of Kshipra river and Kalisindh-Gambhir rivers with the water of Narmada is proving this correct. Praising the Bio-diversity Board he said that environmental protection, tree plantation, pollution control and waste management are eventually connected with bio-diversity, hence this people’s awareness campaign is laudable.
Shejwar said that Narmada does not need human beings instead it is humans who need Narmada. The Narmada Yatra has
generated awareness in people and there is a definite reduction in garbage in the form of tones of garlands. People have now started understanding the importance of environment along with religious importance. Sadhu-sants are also taking part in the Yatra with zeal.
Shejwar honoured well-known litterateur Amritlal Vegad, who completed Narmada parikrama on foot and created unmatchable literature on Narmada with shawl-shreephal.
Dr. Shejwar distributed prizes to the winners of various competitions. Mehal Ajmera, Riya Jain, Mehak Jain, Puja Kushwaha, Mahesh Soni, Kumari Neetu Doshi and Rajaram Ravte was awarded for painting contest.
In the essay contest, Antriksh Sethia, Arushi Ranjan, Rajdeep Mirdha, Raju Prasad Vishwakarma, Arti Singh and Nidhi Burman were awarded.