Adi Baane Kebang Move for Green Arunachal

* Members plant 600 saplings, distribute dustbins in Adi belt

A CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR: The Adi Baane Kebang (ABK) along with its women’s wing (ABKWW) and youth wing (ABKYW) celebrated the ‘Van Mahotsava’ with a massive awareness drive and planted more than 600 seedlings at the premises of the Government Higher Secondary School, Donyi-Polo Hearing Impaired School, Donyi-Polo Ganging at Itanagar, the DC office complex at Yupia and also at the premises of Naharlagun Railway station on Sunday.

Moreover, they distributed dustbins to the authorities of the Government Higher Secondary School, Donyi-Polo Hearing Impaired and Donyi-Polo Ganging Itanagar and also contributed Rs 50,000 to the authorities of Donyi Polo Hearing Impaired School as a token of love.

As a part of the ‘Van Mahotsava’ celebration, afforestation drives were conducted across the Adi belt by the district units of ABK in Upper Siang, East Siang, Siang, Shi-Yomi, Namsai, Tezu, Lower Dibang Valley and Papum-Pare District.

Adi Baane Kebang president Getom Borang thanked all the District Forest Officer (DFOs) of the Adi belt districts for their cooperation with the ABK district units for the success of ‘Van Mahatsova Festival’. Mentioning that the total remaining tree cover of Arunachal’s towns and city is just 24.16%, he exuded confidence that the present campaign will help to create awareness about the benefits of trees and harm caused by deforestation. He further said, “Climate change is one of the drawbacks of cutting down trees and both the interlinked issues must be addressed before it is too late. Festivals like ‘Van Mahotsava’ will help reduce the declining number of trees and also bring about a positive change in the environment.

Dwelling on the ‘Plant Tress, Save Trees’ motto of the festival, ABK women wing president Olen Mengu Damin said, “We have been cutting trees ruthlessly in the names of urbanization — be it for construction of flyovers, roods, pavements, or buildings, trees have been cut without second thought. However, this inhuman act has affected us in a big way.” She also extended her gratitude to all members of ABKWW for the success of the Festival. ABK advisory board member Tokong Pertin also spoke on the occasion.

ABK youth wing general secretary Jote Mingki informed that the youth members of the organization planted around 200 saplings in the premises of the Government Higher Secondary School at Sille and the Government Primary School at Sika-Tode.

The ABKYW has decided to plant around 50,000 saplings during their tenure by making it a flagship programme with theme ‘Festival of Trees is festival of life’. He appealled to the people of State to plant more trees to eradicate global warming.

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