Honourable Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, initiated a revolutionary scheme on 19th December 2016 that has the potential of transforming the State into ‘Green Bengal’. The scheme demands planting of one Sapling for every new born baby to contribute for the well being of the society.
This environment-friendly scheme originated due to the collaboration of the Department of Forest, Panchayat and Rural Development and Health and Family Welfare of the State.
The project targets the rural areas of Bengal. It does not only help the child financially but also creates awareness about the sustainability of the environment among today’s generation.
PURPOSE OF SABUJSHREE SCHEME
Under this ‘Green Bengal’ project, the government distributes a sapling to every new born child upon getting discharged from the hospital. The tree is supposed to be named after the child and the parents of the baby are supposed to plant it in their own land and take good care of it. As the child grows into a young adult, the sapling grows into a tree bearing fruits and flowers. This contributes to the financial security of the entitled youth.
BENEFITS OF JUST ONE TREE ON ENVIRONMENT:
We live in a challenging world where getting clean air to breathe is close to being in an illusion. The environment we live in affects our lives and health extensively so it is our responsibility to take care of our surroundings. There is a sense of false perception among youth that we cannot bring a positive change to our habitat by just planting 1 tree but the reality is that each tree counts for Mother Nature.
Planting a tree removes all the detrimental effects of an unclean environment and improves the quality of air which is very essential for human beings. The leaves of the trees help absorb harmful carbon from the atmosphere thereby giving us clean air to breathe.
Trees enrich the soil, give shade, absorb harmful pollutants and these are just to name a few of the plethora of benefits provided by them. The scheme of ‘Sabujshree’ apparently acknowledges the wisdom of gifting trees to each child.
BENEFITS OF SABUJSHREE SCHEME ON EACH CHILD:
Growing a tree is fairly easy and it does not require a lot of space. The maintenance is also not a big deal because just a few hours every week is enough to yield the results.
The ‘Sabujshree’ scheme is totally free and can be regarded as the best birthday gift for the new born child. The amount of hours invested in taking care of the sapling also gives high return in future as the value of tree increases annually. The timber and fruits can be sold and thus help to provide monetary benefits to the entitled youth.
Significance of the scheme is profound and the concept of this innovative ‘Green Bengal’ idea will surely preserve the environment and transform the lives of many individuals in rural areas. Such ideas are not created in vain. They are a result of thoughtful insights on the two entities that matter a lot- Environment and Youth.
Today’s generation has been deprived of a good quality of life because of the sheer ignorance about our surroundings. We can do a lot and create a healthy environment for each other by spreading awareness of the environmental hazards and planting trees. Today’s youth should not get deprived of the basic things that contribute to a healthy life.
This scheme does have potential to bring about a tremendous change in the standard of people belonging to rural areas of Bengal and any idea so unique and beneficial should always be supported and encouraged. If the government is doing something so inspiring for us and our environment then it rests on our shoulders to abide by the norms.
Plant a Sapling, grow a tree and be the CHANGE because after all it’s Our Planet and it truly deserves to be a clean and safe place for biodiversity to thrive.
It has already been more than 3 years since the implementation of the scheme and undoubtedly Bengal is getting ‘GREENER’ each day.
