Ghaziabad: In a heartwarming celebration of Earth Day, the green spirit came alive in Vaishali, Ghaziabad, as residents and environmental enthusiasts joined hands for a spirited plantation drive.
The morning air was filled with hope and purpose as saplings of Neem, Ashoka, Drumstick, and other native species were lovingly planted along a stretch from Chandra Shekhar Azad Park to Chitragupta Park in Sector-4, Vaishali, Ghaziabad.
The green initiative was spearheaded by Global Bihari’s team member and acclaimed environmentalist Dr. Prashant Sinha, who also led the gathering in chanting Sanskrit shlokas—ancient verses that reminded everyone of the deep bond between nature and humanity.
Adding cultural depth to the event, celebrated litterateur and Global Bihari columnist Dr. Birbal Jha spoke passionately about India’s age-old reverence for nature. “We don’t just plant trees—we worship them,” he said. “The Peepal tree, a natural oxygen factory, and the sacred Tulsi plant, found in every Hindu household, are not just flora but divine members of our families.”
Dr Jha also shared the beautiful tradition of Judi Sheetal from the Mithila region, where people pour water on the roots of trees and perform rituals to celebrate nature. “It’s not just a festival; it’s a prayer for balance, celebrated every April before the summer sets in,” remarked Dr Birbal.
What began as a modest plantation effort soon turned into a community celebration. Around a dozen local residents came together, proving that when people unite for a cause, every sapling planted becomes a symbol of hope.
Those who took this green step for the blue planet at the mohalla level celebrations also set an example for other mohallas to emulate them for the cause of our planet. Those who planted saplings and shared words of encouragement included Ajeet Thakur, along with Anand Verma, Vishal Rastogi, Dhananjay Chaurasia, Kailash Upadhayay, Bhuvaneshwar Singh, Preston Johannes, Raju Chopra, Sandeep Khurana, Ashok Goel, Rajeev Gupta, Sunil Vaidya, a social worker, Harish Srivastava, Ashok Goel, A.K. Ganguly , V.B. Saxena, CA P.K. Jindal, and Prof. Sudhir Saxena.
As the last sapling took root and the chants faded into the morning breeze, one message rang loud and clear: Every tree we plant today is a promise for tomorrow.
– global bihari bureau
