The Punjab Government has launched a statewide plantation drive in government schools under the Government of India's 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 3.0' campaign, setting a target of planting 9.33 lakh saplings across the state.
Guidelines Issued by SCERT Punjab
The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Punjab, has issued detailed guidelines to all government schools for implementing the campaign, which aims to promote environmental conservation and encourage students to take responsibility for protecting nature.
Under the guidelines, each school has been directed to plant at least 30 to 35 saplings, with schools encouraged to exceed the target wherever possible. District Education Officers, Block Primary Education Officers and school heads have been instructed to coordinate with the Forest Department to ensure the free supply of saplings.
Preferred Tree Species and Planting Guidelines
The Education Department has advised schools against planting eucalyptus trees. Instead, they have been asked to prioritise native, shade-giving, medicinal, fruit-bearing and ornamental species such as neem, tahli, peepal and other suitable indigenous trees. To ensure healthy growth, a minimum distance of 10 feet must be maintained between saplings.
Student Adoption and Care
Each sapling will be adopted by an individual student or a group of students, who will be responsible for its care and regular monitoring. Schools have also been directed to install name plates beside every sapling displaying its botanical name, local name and a pet name assigned by students.
Theme-Based Photography and Data Upload
A key feature of the campaign is that every student must be photographed with his or her mother while planting the sapling, in keeping with the campaign's theme. Details of the plantation drive, along with photographs, will be uploaded to the Eco Clubs for Mission LiFE portal. District-level Environment Education Programme Coordinators have been designated as nodal officers to ensure that plantation data is uploaded to the portal within the prescribed timeline.
Expected Impact
The initiative is expected to strengthen environmental awareness among students while fostering a lasting sense of responsibility towards nature through active participation in tree plantation and care.
