Bengal is rich in water resources, let's preserve it, says Juhi Chawla. As the world marks Earth Day today, conversations around climate change, sustainability and environmental responsibility come into focus. During her recent visit to Kolkata, Juhi Chawla cut through the noise with a message that was both simple and urgent: 'Less talk, more work.'
In the city for a plantation and community-led environmental initiative, CT caught up with the actress, who urged a shift from symbolic gestures to sustained, everyday action – from planting trees to reducing pollution and restoring natural resources.
'A tree gives you happiness and peace'
Juhi, who has been associated with plantation drives for several years now, spoke about how the idea evolved from small beginnings into something more ambitious. 'We wanted to do something that will benefit everyone, not just an individual, not just a city. Wherever you go, a tree gives you happiness. It gives you peace, oxygen, fruits, flowers.'
What began as a modest effort linked to cricket performances, with trees planted based on milestones, has grown significantly over time. 'We said, this is nothing, we have to make it bigger, and now, for every run, multiple trees are being planted. I am very happy that we are moving forward every year,' she said.
But beyond structured initiatives, her message remained sharply personal and immediate. 'There can be many solutions, we can start from our homes, from our industries, from our businesses, so that we do not pollute the soil, air and water. But the easiest way is to plant trees. I feel this is the simplest way.'
'You are doing this for your children'
As conversations around climate change often drift into abstraction, Juhi brought them back to a stark, almost uncomfortable reality. 'You are not doing this for anyone else, not for the media, you are doing this for your children,' she said. Her warning was blunt: 'When you poison the last river, when you pollute that last breath of air, when you kill that last piece of soil, you will realise your children cannot eat money.'
She returned to this idea repeatedly, framing environmental action not as charity or activism, but as survival. 'We say we are saving the Earth. This land was there before us, it will be there in the future too. We are saving ourselves.'
Restoring what already exists
While tree plantation remains central, the conversation also extends to broader environmental work, particularly water bodies, an issue relevant to eastern India. 'We put so much industrial waste and sewage into our rivers, the same water returns to the land,' she says, stressing on the need for restoration. 'Let's take a water body, clean it up, fix the sewage, carry out plantations, and make it sustainable.'
She emphasised: 'We cannot do it alone, we have to do it with the community. Otherwise, these spaces will get dirty again.' For a region like Bengal, rich in water resources, she sees both risk and opportunity. 'We are so lucky there is so much water here. It would be a great thing if we could keep it clean.'
It is important to continue green initiatives. If you feel you have done enough, do more. Start by reducing plastic and planting trees. Focus on work, less on chatter.
Kolkata, then and now
Having visited the city across different phases of her life, Juhi says Kolkata remains traditional but has only become nicer, gentler and more intelligent. She adds, 'I like that Kolkata preserves its language, tradition and greenery, even though the city has expanded and seen a lot of development over the years.'
What stands out most, she notes, are 'green spaces, which I don't get to see as much in Mumbai.' The visit also revived early memories of spending over a month in the city, recalling her Tollywood debut with Amar Prem opposite Prosenjit Chatterjee. 'Despite not knowing Bengali, I have kept coming back to the city since then.'
In Bengal, there are so many water bodies. The region is rich in water resources, something people across India yearn for. It'd be wonderful if we could keep them clean.
