Matribhumi Samachar English
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari launched a nationwide plantation drive under the ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ Campaign 2024 today in the presence of Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways and Corporate Affairs, Shri Harsh Malhotra and former MoS Shri V. K Singh. The nationwide plantation drive is to commemorate ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative launched by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Swachhata Hi Seva’initiative is a part of the government’s efforts to promote a clean and green India under the Swachh Bharat Mission, to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of its launch in 2014.
Shri Nitin Gadkari and Shri Harsh Malhotra planted trees at the Duhai interchange of the Eastern Peripheral Expressway in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh.
Shri Nitin Gadkari administered the Swachchhta pledge to all the officials and participants on this occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Sh. Nitin Gadkari highlighted that the government has implemented various initiatives to combat pollution, including the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign launched by Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi. He emphasized that leveraging technology and promoting electric vehicles are crucial steps in reducing pollution and improving our quality of life.
He stressed the importance of ecology and the environment, pointing out that fossil fuel emissions from vehicles are a major source of pollution. This pollution adversely affects our health and reduces life expectancy. Therefore, it is our responsibility to lower pollution levels to ensure a healthier and better life for everyone.
Union Minister also visited the two locations of bamboo and dense plantations along the Duhai interchange and appreciated the 100 per cent survival rate of plants that were planted last year at these locations.
Shri Anurag Jain, Secretary MoRTH and Shri Santosh Kumar Yadav, NHAI Chairman also planted saplings on the occasion. In addition, around 1000 trees were planted by officials of MoRTH, NHAI and NHIDCL at the programme site. Spreading the message of environment sustainability various field offices of ministry, NHAI and NHIDCL also participated in the plantation drive at their respective locations.
NHAI has been focusing on creating Green Corridors by undertaking bamboo plantations, dense plantations and vertical landscaping. To promote environmental sustainability, NHAI has planted around 46 lakh trees during the current year. Also, NHAI is adopting the Japanese method of Miyawaki plantations and has planted 4 lakh trees at eight locations on 53 acres of land area along the National Highways in Delhi-NCR.
NHAI has taken a unique initiative to use eco-friendly ‘Bamboo Crash Barriers’ along the National Highways. ‘Bamboo Crash Barriers’ have been successfully installed in about 10 km long stretches along different National Highways.
More than 30,000 people participated in the nationwide plantation drive under Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam abhiyan to mark the beginning of this year’s Swachhata Pakhwada.
Keeping its commitment to create a sustainable National Highway network, NHAI has planted around 4 crore trees and transplanted around 70,000 trees along the National Highways since implementation of the Green Highways (Plantation, Transplantation, Beautification and Maintenance), Policy 2015.
Senior officers of the ministry, NHAI and NHIDCL were present on this occasion.
