The Harela festival was celebrated by people with traditional fervour in different parts of the Kumaon region on Friday, linking it with plantation of trees.State Finance Minister and MlA from Haldwani, Indira Hridayesh led the people to mark the occasion by way of planting trees in different parts of her Assembly constituency, including Damuwadhunga and Tikonia Park. Speaking on this occasion, Hridayesh said that despite Uttarakhand having a huge green cover, the importance of tree plantation can hardly be over-emphasised. She appealed to the people to participate in the plantation drive enthusiastically.
Chairman of the state disaster management department, Prayag Bhatt, senior BJP leader and MlA from Kaladhungi, Banshi Dhar Bhagat and Mayor of Haldwani Municipal Corporation, Jogendra Rautela, were among others who participated in the plantation drive in Bithoriya and Amratashram on Friday. The people of Haldwani and other parts of the Kumaon region also took part in the plantation drive, marking Harela festival, in a big way.
Mention worthy, in a bid to promote the greenery under its environment conservation programme, the State Government launched the traditional Harela festival across the state on July 10. More so, in a bid to promote greenery through community participation, the traditional Harela festival has been integrated with the ongoing ‘my tree, my money’ programme.