7 months ago
Retired Seniors in Mohali Plant Trees for a Greener Future
In Mohali, a group of retired seniors, mostly in their 70s and 80s, are working together to plant trees and take care of plants.
They started a group called the Eco Plantation Association.
They plant new saplings and look after old ones every day.
They also have a herbal park with different kinds of herbs.
The group uses a car with a tanker attached to it to transport plants and water them.
They don't charge any membership fees but contribute money when needed.
The group has planted over 14,000 saplings so far.
They believe that planting trees is very important for the planet and want everyone to plant at least one tree to make the future cleaner.
A group of retired seniors in Mohali, known as the Eco Plantation Association, is dedicated to planting trees and promoting greenery.
The group was founded by Hari Ram Shimar and has planted over 14,000 saplings since 2019.
They maintain a herbal park with 21 different kinds of herbs and a plant nursery that provides plants for free.
The group uses a Hyundai Accent car with a 500-litre tanker attached to it for transporting plants and watering them.
They have received Rs 3 lakh from the MP Local Area Development fund for a 4,000-litre tanker and bought a second-hand tractor worth Rs 3.5 lakh through contributions.
- Who
- A group of retired seniors in Mohali, including men and women, known as the Eco Plantation Association.
- What
- They are planting trees and maintaining a herbal park to promote greenery and environmental sustainability.
- Where
- Sector 69, Mohali, Punjab, India.
- When
- The group started expanding in 2019 and has been active since then.
- Why
- To address the urgent need for planting trees and to promote environmental sustainability.
Key facts
- Group Name
- Eco Plantation Association
- Location
- Sector 69, Mohali
- Founder
- Hari Ram Shimar
- Saplings Planted
- 14,000
- Group Size
- 70-80 members
- Daily Participants
- 14-15 members
- Herbal Park
- 21 different kinds of herbs
- Funding
- Rs 3 lakh from MP Local Area Development fund for a 4,000-litre tanker
Quotes
Hari Ram Shimar
A 71-year-old retired assistant general manager from State Bank of India and a founding member of the Eco Plantation Association.
“When I started, I was alone. From 2017 to 2019, I single-handedly planted 300 saplings in my neighbourhood.”
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“People noticed and came to me. We started expanding in 2019.”
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Ramesh Kumar Singh
A 70-year-old retired superintending engineer from Haryana Irrigation and Water Resources Department and a member of the Eco Plantation Association.
“We don’t have any membership fee. We make contributions as and when required. Initially, we used to contribute Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 each. For the tractor, everyone opened their purse strings and collected the money within a short span of time.”
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“We are extremely happy. It feels as if one of us has been awarded.”
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Malkiat Singh
A 70-year-old retired manager from Punjab Tractors Limited and the president of the Eco Plantation Association.
“We plant new saplings and tend to old ones every day. Everyone brings tea and snacks by taking turns. We celebrate birthdays and other happy occasions over tea.”
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“Trees are very important for our planet. We should plant more and more of them. Everyone should plant at least one tree for a future that is free of pollution.”
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Harmesh Singh Matharu
A 67-year-old retired executive engineer from Punjab Small Industries and Export Corporation.
“Yes, we are a family now. Recently, I packed 14 members of our group into two cars, went to Patiala and celebrated my grandson’s Lohri there.”
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Joginder Singh
An 80-year-old retired supervisor from the Ministry of Defence and a member of the Eco Plantation Association.
“We need to speed up to boost the greenery of our country.”
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Kulwant Singh Aulakh
A 59-year-old agriculturist and a member of the Eco Plantation Association.
“We use this car daily to ferry plants and tree guard materials made of bamboo sticks and plastic mesh. We also use it to water the plants.”
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Amarjit Singh Sidhu
The Mayor of Mohali.
“I have seen many NGOs. Each one of them has vested interests. But these guys don’t have any axe to grind. They are just doing social service. If everyone starts working like them, our city will become cleaner and greener.”
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Om Parkash
A Mohali-based environmentalist known for his love for medicinal plantation.
“Punjab is heavily polluted, green cover is going down. We need people like them in the entire state to save us.”
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