Pherzawl: The 73rd Van Mahotsav Celebration 2022 was kick-off on July 1, 2022, by DFO Pherzawl, Th. Autumn, at Pherzawl and Damdei Village, Pherzawl District with the active participation of village authority, villagers, teachers, and students in the Mass Tree Plantation Drive.
On July 3, 2022, the celebration continued at Thanlon village with the participation of officials of BRTF, police personnel, school authorities and students of St. Xavier High School and Convention English School, village authority and villagers.
On these events, Th. Autumn highlighted the brief history of Vanamahotsav, also known as the Forest Festival, celebrated from July 1-7 every year and the importance of mass tree plantation.
He apprised the notable conservation works of the Bishnoi community of Rajasthan and the legendary story of Amrita Devi Bishnoi, where 363 people sacrifice their lives for a protest of the cutting down of Khejri trees in the year 1730. Quoting lines from Amrita Devi Bishnoi, Th Autumn says “If a tree is saved even at the cost of one’s head, it’s worth it”.
Emphasizing the need for forest conservation in a hilly district like Pherzawl, he reiterates for protection of trees along the National highway. The occurrence of frequent landslides during the rainy season have been highly impacting the lives of the inhabitant; thereby causing a breakdown of road connectivity, failure of food supply, cut down of electric power supply due to breakdown of electric posts, obstruction in medical emergency services, etc., said Th Autumn. Lastly, the DFO exhorted them to nurture the saplings they have planted and carry out post-plantation care by watering, fencing and weeding as an extra-curricular activity for a period of 3 years.
Pherzawl Forest Division invited all Government employees, NGOs and villagers of the district to actively participate in mass tree plantation programme during this week-long Vanamahotsav Celebration. Similar mass tree plantation drives will be held at Parbung on July 7, 2022.
