CM Saini Plants Trees in Kurukshetra Under Modi's 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam'
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
A sapling pressed into Haryana's soil became a political statement and an environmental pledge on Thursday, September 24, as Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini participated in a tree-plantation drive at Kanipla, Kurukshetra, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's national afforestation campaign 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' — 'One Tree in the Name of Mother'.
Posting on X, CM Saini framed the act as both an ecological message and a generational responsibility: 'A sapling is not just a step towards environmental protection — it is also the foundation of a healthy and safe future for coming generations.' He urged citizens to plant as many trees as possible and resolve to nurture them, calling on everyone to 'give momentum to this people's movement.'
A National Campaign, a Local Pledge in Kurukshetra
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam on World Environment Day in June 2024, tying the emotional symbolism of motherhood to the urgent task of afforestation. The campaign asks every Indian to plant at least one tree as a tribute to their mother — a framing designed to convert a civic duty into a personal, emotionally resonant act.
Kurukshetra, the historic district in Haryana, served as the backdrop for today's event at Kanipla. By holding the drive here, the Chief Minister extended the campaign's reach from national headlines to the village level — the precise scale at which mass participation actually moves the needle on green cover.
State Leaders as the Campaign's Ground Force
Across India, the pattern is consistent: state chief ministers and ministers amplify central environmental campaigns through local plantation events, turning a Union government initiative into a visible, photo-documented grassroots drive. Saini's participation fits squarely within this approach, reinforcing Haryana's alignment with New Delhi's climate commitments under frameworks like the National Mission for a Green India.
The real test, as environmental observers note, is not the day of planting but the months after — whether saplings are watered, protected, and allowed to grow. CM Saini acknowledged this directly, asking citizens to take a 'resolve to care for' the trees they plant, not merely to put them in the ground.
One tree, one name, one mother. The campaign's premise is disarmingly simple — but if the resolve to nurture holds, the canopy that follows could be lasting.