The ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign has completed 40 consecutive Sundays, emerging as a sustained public initiative for environmental protection and community participation in the national capital. The latest plantation drive was organised at M.S. Flats, Type-IV, Sector-IV, DIZ Area, Raja Bazar, New Delhi, where residents and civic officials came together to plant saplings.
Vice Chairperson of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), Shri Kuljeet Singh Chahal, participated in the plantation programme along with members of the Central Government Employees Residents’ Welfare Association. Local residents, women, children, RWA representatives, and officers and employees of NDMC also joined the drive in significant numbers.
The campaign, inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative, encourages people to plant trees in honour of their mothers while strengthening their sense of responsibility towards nature.
Chahal Calls for Long-Term Care of Saplings
Addressing participants, Chahal said the uninterrupted continuation of the campaign for 40 Sundays demonstrates that environmental protection is gradually moving beyond government-led initiatives and becoming a matter of sustained public participation.
He emphasised that planting a sapling should not be considered the final objective. According to him, the real responsibility begins after plantation, with regular watering, protection and proper care required to ensure that each sapling develops into a healthy tree.
Chahal urged residents to adopt the principle of “plant a sapling, protect it and nurture it into a tree.” He said the campaign should evolve into a long-term collective commitment rather than remain limited to a one-day plantation activity.
Saplings Carry Emotional and Environmental Significance
The NDMC Vice Chairperson said every sapling planted in the name of a mother represents both an emotional connection and a responsibility towards the environment.
He noted that trees planted today can provide shade, cleaner air, greenery and a healthier environment for future generations. He therefore appealed to residents to take ownership of saplings planted in and around their neighbourhoods and ensure their survival.
The campaign, he said, has increasingly become a platform that connects people with nature on a regular basis and encourages citizens to actively participate in protecting the city’s green cover.
RWA Raises Redevelopment and Civic Concerns
The plantation programme also provided an opportunity for local residents and RWA representatives to raise several civic matters before Chahal.
The association requested that M.S. Flats, Type-IV, Sector-IV, DIZ Area, Raja Bazar, Gole Market, New Delhi, be excluded from the redevelopment project. RWA representatives stated that the building was constructed in 2017 and remains in good condition.
Residents and association members also highlighted concerns regarding cleanliness, maintenance of parks and other civic amenities in the area.
Chahal directed the concerned officials to examine the issues at the local level and take necessary action within a stipulated timeframe. He said regular engagement with RWAs and residents is important for understanding problems on the ground and improving the effectiveness of civic administration.
Campaign Builds a People-Centred Green Movement
Chahal said the completion of 40 consecutive Sundays reflects the growing strength of ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ as a public movement rather than merely a plantation programme.
He stressed that consistent public involvement can complement government initiatives and transform small environmental activities into long-term community movements. The campaign, he said, is helping residents establish a direct connection with nature while encouraging greater responsibility for the protection and nurturing of trees.
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He added that the objective should not simply be to make New Delhi greener and more attractive, but also to ensure that the city’s existing and newly created green spaces are protected for years to come.
“Every sapling planted today is a green legacy for future generations,” Chahal said, underscoring the need for continued public participation in environmental conservation.
Civic Officials and RWA Members Participate
RWA President Shri Dharamveer, General Secretary Shri Manoj Bansal and Treasurer Shri Surender attended the programme along with senior members Shri Vaibhav Bajaj, Shri Sudhanshu Pandey, Shri Sanjay Kumar Mishra and Shri Krishna Kumar.
Officers and employees from the Civil, Electrical, Health and Horticulture Departments of the New Delhi Municipal Council were also present.
The 40th consecutive Sunday of the campaign thus combined plantation activity with community engagement, reinforcing the message that environmental conservation requires not only planting more trees but also protecting and nurturing them over the long term.
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