Many of us have studied environmental science as part of our curriculum during our school days. But how many of us have really imbibed all that we learnt in those classes?
Well, it’s never too late to begin. Take a cue from 17-year-old Jai Chand from Himachal Pradesh (HP), who has literally climbed great heights to alter the effects of deforestation in his area.
A resident of Bhangadi village in the state’s Sirmaur district, Chand travels 90 km to the district headquarters of Nahan, to revive barren land, as per a report by The Indian Express.
Climbing Great Heights
The only way to get to Nahan is by road, and a half-hour trek up a steep mountain.
Chand, a Class 11 student of Government Senior Secondary School, Nohradhar has been undertaking this painful journey to Nahan for the past three years, in quest of his environmental pursuits.
Chand’s project began when he was in Class 8. It started by way of the teenager planting trees along the road in his school premises, and also on his family’s land, which had for long been infertile. Chand’s father Ram Lal, who owned 10 bighas of land, decided to help his son in his initiative.
Today, over a 100 lush trees, among which are fruit-bearing ones and others like deodar and walnut, are testimony to Chand and Ram Lal’s labour.
Chand told The Indian Express:
I didn’t have to spend any money and managed everything within our means. I used to get plants from forest nurseries or the horticulture department. I would go to the forests to search for small saplings, bring them home, and plant them in my field or other vacant spaces.
The teenager added, “My father helped me. I used to monitor the growth of each sapling and carry out minor protection work so they survive.”
An Inspiration to Others
Chand’s passion inspired the students at his old school Government High School, Chokar (where he was enrolled till Class 10) and his new one in Nohradhar, to plant trees on their respective school premises.
In fact, Surinder Pundeer, who had taught Chand, went on to make a short docu-film on him, in the hope that it would inspire other youngsters. Pundeer was quoted by The Indian Express as saying:
Because of him, the number of students doing voluntary tree plantation has almost doubled.
Chand stresses, in the same report:
Plants and forests are the best source of oxygen, important for the survival of the future generations.
He usually does a large chunk of planting during the monsoons, as digging holes is easier then and watering isn’t required.
In April this year, Chand wrote a letter on his endeavours to the director of the environment, science and technology department in Shimla.
Consequently, he was nominated for an award under the Environmental Leadership Award, and went on to become the state’s youngest winner.
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh presented the award to the teenager in July.
Chand hopes to take up larger projects in the future, and wants to plant a billion trees one day.
(With inputs from The Indian Express)
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