Foreign diplomats join tree plantation drive under Seva Pakhwada in Delhi

Over 75 diplomats, including ambassadors, high commissioners, and heads of missions from more than 72 countries, joined a tree plantation drive in Delhi on Thursday as part of the 16-day Sewa Pakhwada programme, officials from the Environment Department said.

They were accompanied by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, with each dignitary planting a sapling in the name of their mother at the PBG grounds in New Delhi’s Ridge.

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The initiative was part of the central government’s afforestation campaign, ‘Ek Ped Maa ke Naam 2.0,’ which was relaunched to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 75th birthday. The drive, which began on 17 September, will continue nationwide until 2 October, observed as Gandhi Jayanti.

Representatives from various countries, including Bahrain, Bhutan, China, Russia, Oman, Spain, Austria, Brazil, Jamaica, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and others across Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania, planted a sapling bearing both the dignitary and their mother’s name.

Speaking on the occasion, Yadav outlined his Ministry’s target of planting 7.5 crores saplings nationwide on September 25 under the Sewa Pakhwada.

Calling the ‘Ek Ped Ma Ke Naam’ campaign a people’s movement, Delhi Chief Minister, Gupta said, “Every tree planted in the name of our mothers is a symbol of love, life and care. The challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and air pollution know no borders, and hence require us to work together globally.”

According to BJP Delhi’s official X handle, the tree plantation drive took a poignant turn when a representative from the Cameroon Embassy teared up after planting a sapling in her mother’s name. In a video posted online, Chief Minister Gupta was seen comforting the delegate.