Union Home Minister Amit Shah formally launched a massive country wide plantation drive by the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) from the premises of Central Reserve Police Force ‘s ( CRPF) Group Centre at Khadarpur, Gurugram in Haryana today. He planted a “Peepal” sapling.
Director General of CRPF Dr A P Maheshwari, drew the attention of Sh. Shah to the fact that even when he was planting the sapling, the CAPFs together had achieved a milestone in planting an impressive 10 lakh saplings all across the country on a single day today. This drive is a mammoth task of planting 1.37 crore saplings across the country. Dr. Maheshwari said that the CAPFs have succeeded in enlisting the faith of the countrymen as Nature Warriors and Covid Warriors besides looking after their safety and security.
CRPF DG Dr. Maheshwari enumerated a number of benefits of trees saying ” When we plant a tree, we in fact building up mighty arms to hold together the mother earth, we build up the very basis of human sensitivities, we build up mighty poles to hold aloft our tricolour and we build up boundless honour for the motherland.”
A number of dignitaries including Home Secretary A. K. Bhalla, Director General of ITBP S S Deswal , Director General of CISF Rajesh Ranjan, Special Director General of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) .J. Chakravarty and Director General of National Security Guard (NSG) A. K. Singh was present on the occasion.
Home Ministry has given a target of planting one crore 37 lakh saplings to the CAPFs in a phased manner. At the end of June 2020, the CAPFs have been able to plant more than 20 lakh saplings with CRPF alone having planted about half the number at 10 lakh 21 thousand 622 saplings. While CRPF targets to plant a total of 22 lakh saplings by July 2020, other CAPFs have also been actively engaged in mission mode to accomplish the mammoth task of planting about 1 crore 37 lakh saplings.
“CRPF, the largest paramilitary force of the country with a strength of 3.25 lakh personnel is joined in this noble social venture by the family members of the Force personnel swelling the number of active participants in the drive to about 12 lakhs”, said a press release.
