Today being the International Day of Forests, Indian Masterminds takes a close look at the newly launched book of 2004-batch IRS officer Rohit Mehra, Gift Lungs to Future Generations. The bestseller book imparts knowledge on how to grow natural forests on our own. In an exclusive conversation with us, Mr. Mehra, who is the Additional Commissioner of Income Tax in Ludhiana, talked about his scientific method of growing urban forests in detail.
WHAT IS A FOREST?
A simple question. What is a forest? We see forests as a large space filled with wild trees of all kinds; a place that is a natural habitat of wild animals, and a place of biodiversity. But for Mr. Mehra, a forest is an entirely different world made with the same five elements of nature that have made us. So, in a way, forests have a direct correlation with us, humans.
“Forest is a self-sustaining ecozone that has been existent before the first humans on earth. It is made up of water, soil; requires space and wind; produces fire when its bark is rubbed together; thereby including all the five elements of nature or ‘panchtatva’. But industrialization has finished forests today. Can we replenish them once again?” asked Mr. Mehra.
The answer to his question is, yes! Today, we can bring back natural forests through a technique called the ‘Vrikshayurveda Miyawaki technique’.
VRIKSHAYURVEDA MIYAWAKI TECHNIQUE
Mr. Mehra is slowly replenishing the lost forests through the Miyawaki technique and has already revived over 135 forests in a span of two years.
He first selects a site, treats its soil with proper manure and biomass, and then plants saplings in a particular set comprising of big plants, medium plants, small plants, a herb, a shrub, a creeper, and a climber.
“The set helps in the quick growth of trees. Some forests have grown up to 25 feet in just a year’s time. Through proper care, we are able to bring back forests in large acres. This will help our ecosystem in the long run,” he said.
GIFT LUNGS TO FUTURE GENERATIONS
The officer has added every detail related to replenishing forests through the Vrikshayurveda Miyawaki technique in his book, Gift Lungs to Future Generations. He has written the book along with his wife, Geetanjali Mehra.
“In the book, we have explained the baby steps that need to be taken in order to grow a forest, such as a site inspection, the direction of sunlight, the direction of air, etc. It is a full-fledged guide that will be beneficial for individuals trying to grow a natural forest on their own,” Mr. Mehra told Indian Masterminds.
A forest takes around 18 months to get well sustained. Once it receives a natural environment, it is bound to flourish. The officer’s book is a beginner’s manual that imparts knowledge on how to grow a natural forest on our own. It is available on Amazon and is already a bestseller. Here is the link to buy Mr. Rohit Mehra’s bestseller book, Gift Lungs to Future Generations: https://amzn.to/3wlO9mP
