Gujarat Dy CM Harsh Sanghavi: Tree care a collective duty at Tapi plantation drive
Synopsis
Gujarat Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi used a 4,000-strong village plantation drive in Tapi to push beyond the symbolic — arguing that planting trees means nothing without the collective will to keep them alive. With the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign in its third year, the event spotlights the tribal belt's quiet, sustained role in India's forest conservation story.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi addressed the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 3.0' plantation drive at Sadadvel village, Tapi district on 8 August .
Around 4,000 villagers from Tapi and neighbouring areas participated in the plantation drive.
Sanghavi has attended Tapi's annual plantation programme for three consecutive years .
Tribal Development Minister Naresh Patel credited tribal communities for preserving forests across the belt from Umargam to Ambaji .
The event was jointly organised by Prakruti Samvardhan Samiti Tapi , Adivasi Ekta and Vikas Sangathan Tapi , and the Tapi district administration .
Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi on Saturday, 8 August urged citizens to treat the nurturing of trees as a shared civic responsibility, speaking at a large-scale plantation programme held at Sadadvel village in Songadh taluka of Tapi district. The event, organised under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 3.0' campaign, drew participation from around 4,000 villagers from Tapi and neighbouring areas.
What Sanghavi Said
'Merely planting trees is not enough; properly caring for them and helping them grow is the collective responsibility of all of us,' Sanghavi said, addressing the gathering at Sadadvel. He noted that he had been attending the annual plantation programme organised in Tapi district for the past three consecutive years.
Sanghavi linked the campaign to a broader national vision, describing it as an initiative launched under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that seeks to foster devotion towards one's mother and motherland alongside environmental conservation.
Tribal Community's Role in Conservation
State Tribal Development Minister and Tapi district in-charge minister Naresh Patel highlighted the deep-rooted bond between tribal communities and nature. 'It is because of this love for trees and their continued support in protecting forests that forests remain protected and preserved even today across the entire tribal belt from Umargam to Ambaji,' Patel said.
Sanghavi also planted a sapling at the event and later interacted with villagers, specifically appreciating the tribal community's involvement in protecting the natural environment.
Scale and Organisers
The plantation drive at Sadadvel saw around 4,000 villagers participate following the Deputy Chief Minister's own sapling planting, collectively sending a message of environmental conservation from Songadh to people across Gujarat and the country. Residents of surrounding villages reportedly volunteer each year for the annual programme.
The event was jointly organised by Prakruti Samvardhan Samiti Tapi, Adivasi Ekta and Vikas Sangathan Tapi, and the Tapi district administration. Senior officials, forest department personnel, representatives of various organisations, and local MLAs were also present.
About the Campaign
The 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign — now in its third edition — is a nationwide initiative encouraging citizens to plant trees as a tribute to their mothers and the motherland. Tapi district's annual programme, run by Prakruti Samvardhan Trust, has become a recurring fixture in the campaign calendar, with mass participation from the region's tribal villages underscoring the community's historically close relationship with forests.
With thousands joining the drive year after year, organisers and officials say the programme is evolving from a symbolic gesture into a sustained conservation effort — one that will be measured not by saplings planted, but by trees that survive and grow.
Point of View
And Sanghavi's emphasis on survival over planting numbers is a meaningful shift in framing — but the harder question is whether any mechanism exists to track sapling survival rates after the cameras leave. Mass plantation events are a staple of Indian political optics; what distinguishes a genuine conservation push is post-planting accountability. Tapi's tribal communities offer a ready model — centuries of forest stewardship without state incentives — yet that indigenous knowledge rarely informs formal forest policy. The real story here may be less about the Deputy CM's presence and more about what happens to those 4,000 saplings next monsoon.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign?
'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' is a nationwide tree plantation campaign encouraging citizens to plant a tree as a tribute to their mother and motherland. It is now in its third edition and is associated with a broader environmental conservation push linked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.
Where was the plantation drive held and how many people joined?
The drive was held at Sadadvel village in Songadh taluka, Tapi district, Gujarat on 8 August. Around 4,000 villagers from Tapi and neighbouring villages participated in the event.
What did Gujarat Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi say at the event?
Sanghavi said that merely planting trees is not enough and that caring for them and ensuring their growth is the collective responsibility of all citizens. He also noted that he has attended Tapi's annual plantation programme for three consecutive years.
What role did the tribal community play in the event?
Tribal Development Minister Naresh Patel highlighted that tribal communities have lived in close harmony with nature and have been instrumental in preserving forests across the tribal belt from Umargam to Ambaji. Sanghavi specifically appreciated the tribal community's involvement in nature protection.
Who organised the Tapi plantation programme?
The programme was jointly organised by Prakruti Samvardhan Samiti Tapi, Adivasi Ekta and Vikas Sangathan Tapi, and the Tapi district administration, with support from forest department officials, MLAs, and various organisations.
