If only every student in the State planted one sapling, its green cover would flourish beyond everyone’s imagination said Mayor Saidai S Duraisamy.
Speaking at the World Forest Day celebrations at the Guindy Children’s Park on Thursday, the Mayor estimated that there were in excess of 20 lakh students studying in schools in the State, all of whom were viable candidates to spread the green cover, “If each student is given the responsibility of planting one sapling and that is nurtured into a tree, then our State will be green, in line with the wishes of the Chief Minister,” he said.
Minister for Forests T K Pachamal, who had planted a few saplings at the park, also spoke on the occasion.
After listing the various achievements of the Jayalalithaa regime over the past two years, Pachamal said that these were small steps that would ensure a green future with better agriculture, food, air and quality of life for the people of Tamil Nadu, in the years to come.
He also listed out various other initiatives that the CM had undertaken towards increasing the green cover in the State, especially the initiative to plant lakhs of saplings, which was kickstarted by the CM herself.
Other dignitaries from the Forest Department and Environment Department, along with Saidapet MLA G Senthamizhan, were present on the occasion.