Today is the birth anniversary of Vrikshapurush of Uttarakhand and the nation who planted more than 50 lakhs trees during his life time. Salutes

Trees are considered to be the lungs of the nation. The more the trees , more will be a healthy society. Unfortunately, large scale deforestation in the name of the so called development, widening of roads and massive constructions to derive monetary advantage to mint multiple profits by building hotels, big dams and highways in the himalayan states have led to disturbance and danger to the existence of the wildlife, as well as human lives by ecological disasters entirely man made massive floods, landslides, natural disturbances and even earthquakes, global warming and melting of glaciers etc. Today, while countries are developing but ecology and our environment is degenerating. The flora and fauna of the himalayan states, like Uttarakhand especially is at risk due to the above reasons and factors with massive fires during summers adding further fuel to deteriorate the existing environment. For instance in the context of the Union government’s all weather road project and underground railways’ construction from Rishikesh to Karnaprayag not only lakhs of fully grown trees, our lungs were destroyed but the Uttarakhand hills already called the lungs of the country have become hollow from inside, a danger signal in the event of further earthquake emerging in Uttarakhand Himalayas. In view of these human created ecological disasters in the name of the so called development by deforesting himalayan jungles on massive scale, the primary need is to plant as much as trees we can to save the nation from future disasters and enrich the lungs of the country. We are today reminded of environmental legends like Visheshvar Dutt Saklani, recipient of prestigious Indira Priyadarshini Award presented to him by the late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in the year 1986. A legend of environmental protection, freedom fighter and younger brother of the eminent freedom fighter and revolutionary of Tehri Garhwal Nagendra Dutt Saklani, Visheshvar Dutt is known for planting more than fifty lakh trees during his entire lifetime in Tehri Garhwal district who breathed his last on 19 January , 2019 at the age of 96, etched in golden letters in the history of Uttarakhand. Today is his birth anniversary . Born on 2 nd June, 1922 in Pujar Gaon of Saklani Patti in Tehri Garhwal, Visheshwar Dutt Saklani had tremendous love and passion for trees since his childhood days. He generated in him the love for trees from an age of merely eight commencing planting trees gradually. A true conservationist and environmentalist Visheshwar Dutt Saklani was so passionately in love with trees that he used to interact with them, understand them and even sing Garhwali songs moving around the stem of the grown up trees, merrily. He planted more than fifty lakh trees in Tehri Garhwal district not only adding tremendous greenary to the forests of Uttarakhand but also inspired thousands of others towards making our environment clean, green and cohesive. Visheswar Dutt Saklani is known for planting and thereafter ensuring the gradual growth of the planted saplings into full fledged trees of various varieties particularly of Rhododendron, Oak, Guava and several other broad leaves and fruiting trees. His special emphasis would be on planting maximum Oak ( Baanj) trees as these are the real water conservative trees lessening the floods and enhancing the water level just opposite to harmful pine trees which not only make our land barren but its needles lead to maximize forest fires during summer seasons. A decade ago before his death Visheswar Dutt Saklani lost his eyesight after some minute pebbles and dust percolated into his eyes but he continued in his mission of planting trees totally undeterred and planted thousands of trees. He initially started planting trees in his own village Saklani and thereafter in entire Tehri district. His motive was to plant trees daily – come what may, not out of any vested interest but due to his passion to make the environment fully oxygenated. Despite facing tremendous opposition even by the locals while planting trees everywhere Visheswar Dutt made the barren lands green and today converted into lush green forests . The barren land turned into lush green forest was named by him as Nagendra Dutt Saklani forests , who was his elder brother and great freedom fighter who fought against the then tyrannical rule of the king of Tehri Garhwal finally getting it annexed to the Indian Union. Treeman Vishveshwar Dutt Saklani was felicitated by the then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi with prestigious Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini award in appreciation of his outstanding services to conserve and strengthen our green environment by planting lakhs of trees. Known as Vriksha mitra of Uttarakhand and the country, the nation is while heartedly indebted to him for his unforgettable contribution to the ecology of the himalayas and Uttarakhand by planting more that fifty lakh trees during his life time it is also grateful for inspiring thousands of people including foresters, students, youths, women, villagers and intellectuals concerned to conserve our environment. When he died his body was draped in a national flag and was given full state honours for his outstanding and exceptional contribution to the state and the country in strengthening the lungs of the country, the trees. Salutes to him.

Paying his tributes Tehri Garhwal MLA writes :