Patna: Patna Women’s College hosted a plantation drive titled “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” on Thursday, in collaboration with the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bihar. The event was graced by distinguished guests, including Leena Nandan, Secretary, Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Bandana Preyashi, Secretary, Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bihar.
The program commenced with a warm welcome to the guests, who were greeted with the SRISHTI Anthem performed by the students of the SRISHTI Environment Club. Bihar’s environment secretary Bandana Preyashi addressed the gathering, discussing the ministry’s efforts to promote sustainable development. She elaborated on initiatives such as the green budget, low-carbon pathways in Bihar, pollution monitoring, wetland conservation, and the protection of endangered species.
Leena Nandan, an alumna of Patna Women’s College, shared fond memories of her college days and praised the institution’s active involvement in environmental conservation through its two environment clubs.
Addressing the students, Nandan emphasized the profound importance of mothers in our lives, referencing Prime Minister Narendra Narendra Modi’s statement that a mother’s role is unparalleled. “A mother nurtures her children, enduring all hardships, and showers them with unconditional love,” she said. Nandan acknowledged that while it is impossible to fully repay the debt we owe to our mothers, we can contribute in other meaningful ways. This campaign, launched by the Prime Minister on World Environment Day earlier this year, encourages people to plant trees in their mothers’ names as a gesture of gratitude.
Nandan also highlighted the critical role trees play in sustaining a healthy environment, noting their contribution to oxygen production, air quality improvement, climate regulation, water conservation, soil preservation, and wildlife support. Given the escalating levels of pollution, she underscored the urgency of tree planting as a vital measure to combat environmental degradation. “Without trees, life on earth would be impossible. They are essential in maintaining a healthy ecosystem,” she remarked.
During the event, Nandan also lauded Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali Abhiyan, an initiative aimed at promoting water conservation and green cover in the state.
The event proceeded with a plantation drive in the college’s main garden, where Leena Nandan planted a tree in memory of her mother. Saplings of Mahogany, Arjun, and Mango were planted during the drive.
Senior officials in Bihar Forests department, including N. Jawahar Babu, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests; P.K. Gupta, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Development); Arvinder Singh, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests; and Gaurav Ojha, Divisional Forest Officer, Patna were present on the occasion.
The event was coordinated by Dr. Sumeet Ranjan, Assistant Professor in the Department of Zoology, and organized under the guidance of Dr. Amrita Chowdhury, IQAC Coordinator and Head of the Department of Geography; Dr. Shobha Shrivastava, Vice-President of the ECO Task Force and Head of the Department of Zoology; and Meenakshi Mishra, Assistant Professor in the Department of Geography. The event was moderated by Khushi Kumari, Joint Environment and Discipline Secretary of the Student Council 2024-25, and concluded with a vote of thanks by Gaurav Ojha, Divisional Forest Officer, Patna. Students from the ECO Task Force and SRISHTI Environment Club were also in attendance.
