Green Tribute, Rooted in Legacy: UP to Plant Themed Forests Across All Districts

Uttar Pradesh is set to transform its environmental and cultural landscape with the creation of Atal, Ekta, Eklavya, and Shaurya Vans in every district as part of its ambitious Plantation 2025 campaign. The initiative, launched by President Droupadi Murmu in Gorakhpur, aims to plant 35 crore saplings this monsoon to boost the state’s green cover from 9.96% to 15% by 2030.

Each themed forest carries deep symbolic meaning:

 

- Atal Van honors former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his birth centenary.

 

- Ekta Van commemorates Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s legacy of national unity.

 

- Eklavya Van pays tribute to tribal hero Birsa Munda, celebrating indigenous pride.

 

- Shaurya Van, to be inaugurated on Independence Day (August 15), will honor India’s martyrs and brave soldiers.

 

These forests will serve as living memorials, blending environmental stewardship with cultural reverence. The initiative also includes Oxy Vans in urban areas to combat pollution, Gopal Vans in cow shelters for fodder sustainability, and Triveni Vans along riverbanks to restore ecological balance.

 

Key Highlights:

 

- Public participation encouraged through campaigns like Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam and Ek Ped Guru Ke Naam.

- Saplings to be gifted on Raksha Bandhan and Teachers’ Day as symbolic gestures.

- Forest department to lead implementation with support from local bodies and citizens.

 

This green movement is more than a plantation drive—it’s a grassroots revolution rooted in heritage, unity, and ecological responsibility.

 

Source: Hindustan Times, Times of India, ThePrint