Abdul Kalam stresses on increasing green cover

The former president calls for increasing green cover through increased tree plantation by children

India's missile man and former president APJ Abdul Kalam has called for increasing green cover through increased tree plantation by children. Kalam was in Vadodara on Saturday at an event to support revival of Vishwamitri river.

The project, to revive the river and make it clean and pollution-free, has been jointly proposed by National Bioshield Society and the Community Science Centre, Vadodara. Kalam released the proposal of the project at a function held at Navrachna School here.

"It's a big mission and big thinking and it will require big action. I believe that this mission will succeed with Bioshield and eco-friendly and sustainable system," Kalam said during his address.

"One of the causes of pollution in the rivers is the discharge from industrial waste, which is the worst thing. So, while executing the project in Vadodara, you will have to take industry along with you to be a part of this action," Kalam told the gathering.

Pressing for greener environment Kalam asked children to plant more trees. "I would also ask children to plant at least five trees and nurture till they get matured. Every young person has to take oath to plant at least five trees and nurture them," he said. "A matured tree can absorb about 20 kg of carbon dioxide (CO2) in a year. At the same time it releases around 14 kg of oxygen (O2) in the atmosphere," he added.

The project, named as Vaho Vishwamitri Abhiyan, has been under discussion for over past three years. It is only now that a formal project proposal has been prepared by a group of experts and NGOs. The project seeks to make around 135 kilometers stretch of the river clean and ecologically sustainable by building check-dams and small reservoirs, putting effluent treatment systems to contain river pollution, besides planting 8.5 million trees.

"The project proposal has been prepared. Now we are in the discussion with the state urban development department to make further progress on the project," said Tejal Amin, an educationist and chairperson of Navrachna Education Society.