NGT chairperson visits Indian Botanical Garden, joins plantation drive
NGT Chairperson Takes Part in Tree Plantation Programme at Howrah’s Historic Botanic Garden
Bharatmorningnews.com – National Green Tribunal Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava visited the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden in Howrah on Saturday, joining a tree plantation programme focused on native and threatened plant species.
The activity formed part of the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign and was held in the garden’s Endemic and Threatened Plant Section. It was organised under the “Swachhata Hi Seva 2026” initiative, highlighting the role of public participation in environmental protection and restoration.
Focus on rare and native plant conservation
The choice of the Endemic and Threatened Plant Section gave the programme a wider conservation message. Species that are native to a particular region or face pressure in their natural habitats require focused protection, both within protected collections and in the landscapes where they naturally grow.
Plantation efforts involving such species can draw attention to biodiversity beyond the better-known goal of increasing overall tree cover. Conserving native flora supports ecological balance and helps preserve plant diversity that may otherwise become increasingly difficult to protect.
The programme also reflected the broader connection between environmental restoration and sustainable development. Protecting plants, forests and habitats remains central to efforts aimed at maintaining healthy ecosystems for present communities as well as future generations.
Senior tribunal officials attend event
Justice Shrivastava was accompanied by senior officials from the National Green Tribunal. Registrar Deepto Ghosh, Deputy Registrar Tanushree Dutta and Assistant Registrar Yash Kumar Singh were present during the plantation drive.
The NGT is a judicial body that deals with matters involving environmental protection, forest conservation, natural resources and the enforcement of environmental legal rights. Its work places it at the centre of many issues concerning the protection of India’s ecological assets.
By participating in the event at the botanic garden, the tribunal’s leadership underscored the importance of shared responsibility for biodiversity conservation. Environmental safeguards depend not only on legal processes and institutional action, but also on awareness and participation from communities and individuals.
A major botanical landscape on the Hooghly
The Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden is one of the region’s most significant green spaces and botanical collections. Situated along the Hooghly River, the garden covers roughly 273 acres and contains more than 12,000 living plants.
Its collection includes endemic and threatened plants, uncommon orchids, several palm varieties and giant Amazon water lilies. The range of species maintained within the grounds gives visitors an opportunity to see the value of plant conservation in a setting that combines scientific importance with public access.
Botanic gardens serve as more than recreational spaces. They preserve living collections, offer settings for learning about plant life and keep attention on species that may be overlooked outside specialist conservation work. A plantation programme in such a location naturally links ceremonial tree planting with the longer-term task of safeguarding botanical heritage.
Among the garden’s most recognisable features is the Great Banyan Tree. Its massive canopy extends across nearly five acres, creating the impression of a small forest rather than a single tree. The tree remains a defining attraction of the garden and an enduring symbol of the scale and resilience of mature plant life.
Meaning behind “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam”
The “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign invites people to plant a tree in honour of their mothers. The initiative uses a personal gesture of tribute to encourage wider involvement in afforestation and conservation activities.
Tree plantation campaigns can help make environmental action more accessible by connecting a broad public concern with an individual act. The impact of such efforts, however, also rests on caring for planted saplings over time and selecting species suited to the local environment. The emphasis on endemic and threatened plants during the Howrah programme drew attention to the value of thoughtful, conservation-oriented planting.
For visitors and residents, the event offered a reminder that protecting biodiversity involves more than preserving celebrated trees or scenic spaces. It includes recognising the importance of rare flora, native ecosystems and the diverse species held in botanical collections.
Message of collective environmental stewardship
The plantation drive conveyed a call for collective action to protect the country’s biodiversity and botanical legacy. Gardens such as the Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden hold plants of ecological, scientific and cultural significance, making their preservation important far beyond their immediate surroundings.
As environmental concerns continue to shape public discussion, initiatives that bring institutions and citizens together can reinforce the idea that conservation is a shared duty. The Saturday programme placed that message in a setting defined by its extensive plant collections, threatened species and one of India’s best-known banyan trees.
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