Manipur launched the 77th Van Mahotsav with a target of planting 15 lakh saplings under Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 3.0, as plantation drives, awareness programmes and community participation began across multiple districts.
Imphal, July 1: Manipur on Wednesday launched the 77th Van Mahotsav with an ambitious target of planting around 15 lakh saplings across the state under the nationwide "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 3.0" campaign, as the Forest Department called for greater public participation in afforestation and environmental conservation.
The state-level inaugural function was held at Chingkhu Mayai Leikai in Imphal West district, while plantation drives and awareness programmes were simultaneously launched across several districts, including Noney, Ukhrul, Churachandpur, Senapati and Tengnoupal.
Launching the week-long campaign, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force (PCCF & HoFF) Anurag Bajpai, who also serves as Additional Chief Secretary (TCI), described Van Mahotsav as a celebration of forests and a collective commitment to safeguarding the environment for future generations.
He said forests are not merely collections of trees but vital ecosystems that regulate climate, conserve water resources, support livelihoods and preserve Manipur's biodiversity and cultural heritage.
Announcing the department's plantation target, Bajpai said approximately 15 lakh saplings would be planted during Van Mahotsav week under the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 3.0 initiative. He stressed that the campaign would succeed only if it evolved into a people's movement where citizens not only plant trees but also ensure their survival.
He outlined three major priorities for this year's campaign—restoration of degraded forest landscapes, strengthening community-led forest conservation and expanding tree cover in urban and peri-urban areas. According to him, these efforts would improve ecological resilience, contribute to climate change mitigation and support sustainable development.
Calling upon government departments, educational institutions, youth organisations, farmers and local communities to join the campaign, Bajpai assured that the Forest Department would provide technical guidance, quality planting material and monitoring support throughout the plantation programme.
He also acknowledged the contribution of frontline forest personnel, including rangers, field staff and community forest guardians, for their role in protecting the state's forests.
Following the inaugural programme, a mass plantation drive was carried out around Chingkhu Mayai Leikai with participation from students, village authorities, Meira Paibis, civil society organisations, volunteers and local residents, who planted indigenous and ecologically suitable tree species.
Across the state, district forest divisions launched their own Van Mahotsav programmes with local plantation targets and community participation. The Noney Forest Division inaugurated Van Mahotsav at Rhema Public Academy, Khumji, and organised another plantation drive at Longkhuibut Eco Park in Longmai-II.
Divisional Forest Officer D. John Sha highlighted the importance of increasing green cover to address climate change and deforestation, while local community leaders encouraged active involvement of citizens, students and civil society organisations.
The week-long programme will continue across different parts of the district with participation from the district administration, village authorities, schools, churches, NGOs, youth clubs, women's groups and Joint Forest Management Committees.
The Ukhrul Forest Division launched one of the state's largest district-level plantation campaigns, setting a target of planting 2.10 lakh saplings during the week. The flagship programme was held at Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School, where Deputy Commissioner Uppuluri Chaitanya, Divisional Forest Officer Laishram Gitla, Superintendent of Police Abhinav and other district officials joined students and youth volunteers in planting saplings.
Parallel plantation activities were also organised at Shokvao village under the Community-based Sustainable Forest Management for Water Resources (COSFOM) project. Forest officials also installed camera traps in forest closure areas to strengthen wildlife monitoring, with plans to expand the technology to all 23 COSFOM villages.
Plantation drives were simultaneously conducted in Awang Kasom, Khalhang Khullen, Jessami Range and Wahong village, while free sapling distribution will continue throughout the district.
The Churachandpur Forest Division launched its week-long celebration at Saikot Community Hall under the theme "A Tree Today, A Thousand Smiles Tomorrow." Deputy Commissioner Krishna Kumar urged citizens, particularly young people and village communities, to take the lead in protecting forests, rivers and wildlife.
Divisional Forest Officer Abhijith K.V. said the plantation campaign was aimed at addressing forest cover loss and soil erosion in the district, while Deputy Conservator of Forests Esther Laltankim Serto highlighted the importance of conserving forests.
The programme concluded with a plantation drive led by the Deputy Commissioner and the Divisional Forest Officer. Winners of the district-level on-the-spot painting competition organised for the International Day for Biological Diversity were also honoured.
In Senapati district, Van Mahotsav was launched at the Karong Water Reservoir with a plantation drive covering five hectares of degraded land. More than 2,000 seedlings of native species, including Taimareng, Tairen, Hollock and Mango, were planted around the reservoir, which supplies drinking water to nearly half of Senapati town.
Additional Superintendent of Police M.L. Kaisungbou called on citizens to dedicate at least one day each year to planting trees and emphasised the importance of forests in ensuring water security. He also encouraged farmers to adopt sustainable crops instead of poppy cultivation.
Divisional Forest Officer Shanngam S. said the Forest Department plans to plant more than one lakh seedlings across the district during the Van Mahotsav celebrations. Around 200 volunteers, including students, youth organisations, village authorities, government departments and police personnel, participated in the inaugural programme.
The Tengnoupal Forest Division began the celebrations with plantation drives at Maojang and Heingoukhong villages under the supervision of Deputy Conservator of Forests Mahamuda Begum. The programme brought together village authorities, students, women's groups, local residents and Forest Department officials to plant indigenous tree species.
Free saplings were also distributed across the Moreh, Tengnoupal and Machi forest ranges to encourage households to participate in afforestation efforts. The department said plantation and awareness programmes would continue throughout the division during the week-long festival.
Forest officials said Van Mahotsav activities will continue across all forest divisions in Manipur in collaboration with local communities, educational institutions, government departments and voluntary organisations. Besides increasing forest and tree cover, the campaign aims to restore degraded ecosystems, improve climate resilience and encourage long-term environmental stewardship among citizens.
