Vadodara – The 76th Van Mahotsav was celebrated with great enthusiasm at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Nagar Gruh, followed by a tree plantation drive at Panjarapol. The event was attended by dignitaries including Dandak Pramukh Balkrishna Shukla, who highlighted the importance of collective efforts to tackle climate change and increase the city’s green cover.
In his address, Shukla praised initiatives like Mission LiFE launched under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and described the “Ek Pad Man Ke Naam” campaign as a meaningful step toward positive societal change. He emphasized that according to the National Forest Policy, one-third of India’s land area should be covered by trees, whereas Vadodara currently has only 11 percent forest cover. He urged citizens to make tree plantation a mass movement by utilizing free saplings available from 50 nurseries across the district.
Member of Parliament Dr. Hemang Joshi stated that the success of Van Mahotsav depends on voluntary public participation. He appealed to citizens, schools, and college eco-clubs to join the “Ek Pad Man Ke Naam” campaign in greater numbers to transform it into a broad-based public movement.
Municipal Commissioner Arun Mahesh Babu informed that under the “Mission Two Million” initiative, Vadodara Municipal Corporation has already planted one lakh trees this year. He stressed that with active involvement from every citizen, the city’s forest cover can be increased from the current 11 percent to new targets.
As per agency report, the program also included distribution of cheques to beneficiary Sakhi Mandals and other groups supported by the forest department. Tree enthusiasts, social forestry workers, nursery operators, wildlife conservationists, Miyawaki forest creators, gardeners, and contributors from the Panjarapol area were honored with certificates and shields for their efforts.
The event concluded with dignitaries participating in tree plantation at Sayajipura Panjarapol, marking the successful culmination of Van Mahotsav 2025. The ceremony saw the presence of MLA Manishaben Vakil, Forest Conservator Mahendrasinh Rathwa, forest department officials, students, and a large number of citizens.
