UP man saves over 1,000 trees by making Gods their protectors

Amidst calls to save the world from 'climate catastrophe', environment activist in Uttar Pradesh's Gonda, Paragdutt Mishra has saved thousands of trees by “directly” taking help from God. Mishra is the Chief of Wazirganj development block’s Nagwa Panchayat. While talking to a news agency, Mishra said that the practice of hanging the pictures of gods and goddesses on trees, thereby making the deities their patron, has deterred people, who believe in god, from cutting the trees. 

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From centuries, people have worshipped trees with the belief that the Gods reside in them. Keeping the tradition and culture in mind, Mishra, apart from placing the deities’ pictures on trees, had also carved their pictures on tree trunks with vermillion. Following this, the villagers started worshipping trees instead of cutting them. 

By making the gods protectors of trees, Mishra has saved over a thousand trees from cutting.

Mishra always keeps a paint, brush, tools and vermillion with him. He used to carve out “gada”, Lord Hanuman’s weapon on the roadside trees and then paint them with vermillion. The total cost for carving and painting a single tree amounts to Rs 200, which he pays from his pocket. 

Reportedly, following the success of Mishra's efforts, people in nearby villages have started conserving trees using the same approach.

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Activists have carried out many movements and campaigns in India to preserve the environment and prevent trees from cutting down. The Chipko movement is one such. 

The Chipko movement started in the 1970s in Uttarakhand where people hugged the trees restricting the authorities from cutting them down. After the success of the campaign, many similar campaigns were carried out around India to save trees from getting cut down. 

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In 1983, the Salkani villagers of Uttara Kannada, Karnataka, stood hugging the Kalse forest trees. It was named as the Appiko movement.  

In November this year, many people gathered and protested along the Tellapur-Nallagandla road in Hyderabad to stop the axing of hundreds of trees. 

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