Home Minister Amit Shah launches 'Tree Plantation Drive 2020' organised by Coal Ministry

Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday, July 23, launched 'Tree Plantation Drive 2020', organised by the Union Coal Ministry, at his residence in New Delhi. Speaking on the occasion, the Home Minister said that under the drive trees will be planted on 6,000 acres of land in 38 districts across ten states. “Today, trees will be planted on 600-acre land at 150 places. 5 lakh plants will be distributed,” he said. The Home Minister also lauded several initiatives by the Coal Ministry and expressed his gratitude for launching the plantation drive.

“In the blind race of development, we forget the mantra of Indian culture that nature is our mother and it cannot be exploited. This is the reason why the temperature of the earth is increasing and badly affected by climate. The world is afraid of climate change. There is the only way in which our saints and ‘puranas’ had told us that trees are friends of human and only trees can save us. Indian culture has accepted the importance of trees and encouraged it,” Shah said while addressing the launch of the Plantation Drive.

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The Home Minister also paid tributes to Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Chandra Shekhar Azad on their birth anniversaries. He said both the leaders sacrificed their lives for the country and no one can forget their contribution in the India's independence movement.

“Lokmanya Tilak and Chandrashekhar Azad both sacrificed their lives for the country. No one can forget the contribution of Tilak in India’s independence movement. His slogan ‘freedom is my birthright’ still inspires India’s youth. Azad never thought of bowing down to Britishers and inspired people with movement,” he said.

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Watch the full address here:

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(With inputs from ANI)