https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Protecting Old Trees

Indian Masterminds Stories

It is impossible to imagine our lives without trees. In fact, to a large extent life itself is dependent on trees. From contributing to environment by supplying oxygen to providing shelter, food, medicine, so many vital aspects of our lives rely heavily on trees. However, in the wake of development we are just ignoring their importance and chopping down what were our veritable guardians all this while.

In Motihari district of Bihar, though, the situation is different. Here, people are now coming forward in support of the trees, to prevent their cutting and to safe-guard the ones which are very old and therefore rally precious. All this has become possible due to an  initiative taken by the District Collector Sirshat Kapil Ashok. 

In a conversation with Indian Masterminds, he talked about his ‘Save our Guardian’ project for preserving the trees which are at least 50 to 100 years old. 

AN APP FOR TREE IDENTIFICATION 

Mr. Ashok believes that old trees are very crucial for a healthy ecosystem. So, we need to save them and the project initiated by him revolves around this idea. 

As he explained, “There are lot of programs under which plantation of new trees are encouraged. Every year the forest department also plant hundreds of trees. However, those trees will take time to grow up and help in strengthening the ecosystem. While at the same time we have several trees that are old and have strong roots to control floods and erosion. It is important that we are planting new ones but it is equally important and necessary to save the old ones.” 

Under this project, an App is being developed to first identify the old trees. The app named ‘ParyavaranPrahari’ doesn’t only give the location of the trees but also has additional information about their cultural or historically relevance and what all should be done to preserve them. 

Explaining the working of the app, the nodal officer of the project Mr. Amit Upadhaya said, “A team is assigned with the task to identify the trees. They are using the geo-tagged photos (with longitude & latitude markings) of the trees to trace their location. Apart from this, the app also has information about the girth of trees. With this app we have identified a total of 1450 trees in the district, out of which 52 trees are taken as model trees to set an example on the preservation front”. 

RELEVANCE 

Some identified trees are 400 years old and have great historically value. At the same time,  some are turned into places of worship. The team has identified a 400 year-old Banyan tree in Harsiddhi block. The tree is part of a temple famous as ‘Kuleshwari Sthan’. “We talked to many older people to guess the age of that banyan tree. Few told us that their grandfather had also seen that tree in the same shape as it is now”, said Mr. Upadhaya

Similarly, a trio of two peepal and one banyan trees is found in Aadapur block. 

COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION 

The collector is also encouraging community participation in this project. “Under the guidance of DM sir, a sanrakshak mandal is formed with the locals that will protect the trees. Apart from this, we are also organizing various cultural events in accordance with festivals to spread awareness about protecting the trees. On Rakshabandhan, Rakhi will be tied to each one of them. The idea is that people own up the trees and do whatever is required for their preservation. Like sculptures or monuments, these trees are also asset for us”, said Mr. Upadhayay. 

The collector Mr. Ashok also feels that if preserved properly, many of these trees could also be a heritage site in the future. 


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Hindustan Shipyard Limited HSL
PESB Declines to Recommend CMD for Hindustan Shipyard; Ministry May Extend Current Chief’s Tenure
IAS Ajitabh Sharma
“80% of Time Spent on Non-Core Tasks”: Rajasthan Principal Secretary Ajitabh Sharma Questions IAS Work Culture, Calls for Reform
Nitin Gadkari
India to Become Net Energy Exporter in 6-7 Years, Highlights Hydrogen and Biofuels: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari
Bank of India - BOI
Bank of India Plans to Raise Rs 20,000 Crore via Infrastructure Bonds in FY 2025-26
BEML Limited
For Operational Excellence, BEML Lays Foundation of State-of-the-Art Central Warehousing Centre in Bilaspur
rec-logo
Green Energy Boost: REC Forms New Subsidiary for 3GW Ananthapuram-II REZ Transmission Project
Bhupendra Patel CM Gujarat
CM Bhupendra Patel’s Pro-People Move: Uniform House Tax of ₹200 Annually for Rural Government-Assisted Homes in Gujarat
CM Nitish Kumar
Bihar: Gaya to Become Bihar’s Largest Industrial Township Under AKIC; ₹16,524 Cr Investment Expected
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
Why Has the DGCA Fined Air India Rs 5 Crore Since Privatisation?
Former Diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar
Iran Is Weakest Now, Needs a Face-Saver
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-23 at 12.39
Retired Officers Lead 7-Day Mission to Revive Betwa River with 55 Check Dams | Video Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Sanish Kumar Singh
“If you want it badly enough, you’ll find a way,” Sanish Kumar Singh AIR 8, UPSC IFS 2024 
The real interview, he says, was much more humane. “The board was conversational. The chairman opened...
Raju Wagh
When the Battlefield Became a Study Room and a Dream Took Flight
Amid IED blasts and anti-Maoist operations in Bastar, CRPF Commando Raju Wagh taught village kids, studied...
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-18 at 10.31
"I Just Wanted to Breathe Again": The Man Who Fought Death and Made It to UPSC
Struck by COVID at the peak of his UPSC prep, Devanand Telgote spent months on ECMO, unsure he'd live,...
Social Media
Shailaja Chandra
“Nanis & Dadis Have a Brain”: Former IAS Officer Shailaja Chandra Weighs in on 1970s vs 2025 Life Debate - “This Generation Has It Better”
Responding to Viral Post on Middle-Class Struggles, Ex-Bureaucrat Offers Candid Reflection on Then and...
Tigress Arrowhead
The End of an Era: A Queen Falls - Ranthambore’s Iconic Tigress Arrowhead (T-84) Passes Away at 14, Hours After Daughter’s Relocation
Ranthambore mourns the loss of one of its fiercest and most beloved tigers, Arrowhead, the granddaughter...
Screenshot 2025-06-13 194001
Wild Elephant Disrupts Riverside Picnic, Sparks Debate on Human Encroachment; IFS Parveen Kumar Shares the Video - Watch Here!
Mr. Kaswan used the viral video, which has garnered over 1.5 lakh views, to highlight the risks of human...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Hindustan Shipyard Limited HSL
PESB Declines to Recommend CMD for Hindustan Shipyard; Ministry May Extend Current Chief’s Tenure
IAS Ajitabh Sharma
“80% of Time Spent on Non-Core Tasks”: Rajasthan Principal Secretary Ajitabh Sharma Questions IAS Work Culture, Calls for Reform
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
Former Diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-23 at 12.39
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT