JOIN USAll the talks and thoughts for the upcoming World Environment Day would be a waste if there is no effort to increase the green cover. Keeping this mind, Tihar jail inmates recently planted saplings in planters, which will be distributed to celebrate the day which falls on June 5.
Around 20,000 recycled planters with plants will be distributed at DLF Promenade Mall, Vasant Kunj, on June 5 and 6, with a message to grow and nurture plants. This is the culmination of a 15-day campaign ‘Let’s Regain Delhi’s Fresh Air’ initiated by Hind Bhartiyam Foundation in association with Kavi –The Poetry-Art Project.
The campaign saw inmates of the Tihar Jail learning to plant a sapling, naming it and dedicating to it a verse or poem, as an invocation to life. The first-of-its-kind initiative involving people from all sections of society, was also aimed at helping the Tihar inmates to give a push to their creativity and help in environment conservation.
The campaign began with an extensive workshop where Tihar inmates were educated about the project. The introduction was followed by distribution of handmade planters, created from recycled bottles by Kavi –The Poetry-Art Project. Plantation expert Rishi then explained to the inmates how each sapling was to be planted in these planters by settling the soil, watering the plant and readying them to take on the responsibility of doing their bit to green the city.
“Our idea is to conserve the environment and to encourage people for plantation. People are so busy in their routine life and barely think of this issue, which is going to affect their health in the long run. We did our first workshop at Tihar Jail to spread a message to all – if the members of a prison can exhibit such passion in doing their bit for the Earth, what is stopping free citizens of the city and the world from giving their best to the green cause,” says Shamim Akhter, founder of Hind Bhartiyam Foundation.
Each inmate gave a name to their plants and many chose their child’s name to do so. They even wrote a small poem to celebrate this new lease of life.
“Poetry has no language but has pure emotions that connect hearts. Convicts were happy while participating and wrote beautiful poems which we are going to be distributed with plants to showcase the other side of the people who are behind the bars,” says Madhuri Balodi, co-founder of Kavi The Poetry-Art Project.
Students from various colleges, people from slum areas and women working for the green cause also participated in this campaign to curb pollution.
Amit Singh, co-founder of Kavi-The Poetry Art project – a recycled brand that has been working for this cause for the last three says, “We are conducting workshops and are happy to involve people to raise awareness about the importance of a sustainable lifestyle. We are giving out recycled bottle planters for the plantation drive to tell people how they can use their waste material for a better cause.”
The initiative has also caught attention of celebrities actively involved in social causes such as actor Kalki Koechlin. She says, "I do hope more people take inspiration from such endeavours and go the green way."
Apart from this, Jairam Ramesh, an active environmentalist and former Environment Minister commented, “Delhi pollution needs to be curbed. I am happy to see young volunteers working for a cause and I request all to support them to make the city pollution-free.”