AFFORESTATION - A Dire Need

 Today, on Gandhi Jayanti, it is important to know that Mahatma Gandhi always stood up for the Mother Earth. He stated that-

" Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's Greed."

Modern industrial development exploited the forest wealth mercilessly. The trees are cut down either for industry or for the dwelling units of man. The growing pressure by the population explosion, urbanization, and construction of big residential colonies have also played a significant role in the destruction of forests. It has directly resulted in the loss of green cover and indirectly, the loss of existence of human and animal life. 

But this was not the reality in the early era where people truly loved nature it has given them their life to live and they should be grateful for that and while harming they are adding sin in their life and will be punished in the hell. Apart from the mythological Perspective and come closer to the more modern world where people are educated, democratic, and live their life freely, in the year 1970 under the government of Mrs. Indra Gandhi where she had given permission to a sports company to set up their factory in the forest of Uttarakhand by cutting thousands of trees there. Fortunately, this plan did not work out as the local activist Sunderlal Bahuguna and the people of that area protested against this by "hugging " the tree out there until their death which forced the authorized to surrender their mission. This protest was very much popularized as the "Chipko movement or Chipko Andolan" where people literally hugged the tree at the stake of their life to conserve the environment.  

As it was a very remarkable moment which made a great impact on the government as well as the people of the country. After this, the Government of India has imposed the "Forest Conversation Act 1980", which means conservation of forest at any cost, and this act carried out for a period of time.

As people are selfish and they wanted to be developed at any cost, so they occupied in the space which led to deforestation and leading India as no.10th in the rank in the deforested forest in 2009.

It is important for us to realize the dire need for Afforestation.

Afforestation is the planting of trees on an area of land.

IMPORTANCE OF TREES

🌳 Trees fulfill our basic needs. They provide fruits and vegetables to eat and fibers to be used for making clothes.

🌳 Their leaves, twigs and branches help dwellings.

🌳 Trees also have such leaves, barks and fruits which are useful as medicines.

🌳 Their trunks provide timber for building houses, doors, windows and furniture.

🌳 Trees attract clouds for rain. Places where there are thick trees, the atmosphere remains cool. So, the clouds cool and begin to rain.

🌳 Trees help in fighting the menace of air pollution and thus save us from epidemics. You can clearly see the result of deforestation in the current scenario of Covid-19.

🌳 Trees check the formation of deserts.

🌳 They check the swift flow of water and save us from floods and soil erosion. Thus, the fertility of the soil is maintained.

🌳 Resins, Cinchona, Gum, Rubber, and many other things of commercial use are also obtained from the trees. So, trees are the source of running several kinds of industries.

🌳 Oxygen is the greatest need for our living. The trees absorb Carbon-di-oxide and give us oxygen.

The government realized the importance of planting trees and made Afforestation one of its development programmes. But unfortunately the officials of the government are not honest and sincere in carrying out the essential duties (being brutally honest). So, crores of rupees are wasted but the trees don't grow in as many numbers as the amount of money is spent.

At last, let's remember the words of Franklin D. Roosevelt,

" The forests are the Lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to the people. "

Also read :

Nature=Peace

Flowers=Positivity