Green Valentine March

Call for youth to fall in love with trees

Dr Nitin Pandey

17-Feb-2010

“It is really cool, adding romance to environment and fun to activism” said 16yr Somya Choudhary, a student of class 11, St. Thomas College, as she, dressed in a stripped green t-shirt, joined dozens of other members of Citizens For Green Doon, in the “Green Valentine March” organized by the group to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Dressed in green attire, carrying green heart shaped balloons in their hands and a spirit of change in their hearts, members of CFGD marched along the streets of Doon raising slogans calling upon the youth of the city to fall in love with trees. “Valentine, Valentine, We want a green Valentine” said Bidit Deka, 20yrs, a law student at ICFAI. “We want people to celebrate Valentine’s Day by also taking trees as their Valentine. And we want people to demonstrate their love for trees in the same way as they show their feelings for their loved ones” he added. Green Valantine March Cupid leading the March The Green Valentine March in Dehradun The rally was led by 10yr old Tanay dressed as Cupid, the symbol of love, complete with wings and a bow and arrow. A student of Class 5 in St. Joseph’s Academy, Tanay said he loves the sound birds make in the trees at his home and he wished he could shoot actual arrows to make people fall in love with trees. Starting in front of Barista, the procession made its way along Rajpur Road, encircling the Astley Hall, which is the traditional hub of youngsters celebrating Valentine’s Day and then ended at Parade Ground, where a meeting was held. Pamphlets were distributed to people encouraging them to celebrate Valentine’s Day in a green way. Watching the procession was Arpita Awasthy, a 32yr homemaker. “I was shopping in Standard Bakery when I heard slogans about loving trees. I caught my son’s hand and ran out to see this procession of green balloons” she said. “Someone gave me a pamphlet and now I’m going to join this group. It is nice to see people caring for our city” she added. During the meeting at Gandhi Park, participants discussed ways to involve the youth in protecting the environment. The issue of tree transplantation the group was trying to organize also came up for discussion. “This is going to be the first tree transplantation in the whole of North India” said Aanchal Sodhi, a member of CFGD. “We are in an advanced stage of planning and hope to do it in the coming week.” The meeting ended with all the participants raising their hands and taking an oath to protect the trees of the city. “Now that I’ve taken this oath, and that too on Valentine’s Day, I think I have become a green warrior and now I have to protect the green love” mused a tired but happy 16yr old Shravil Kapoor, who is an active member of CFGD. Concluding on a philosophical note Sonia Pandey said that just as love if not affirmed and reaffirmed withers away, so will our trees if not nurtured on a continual basis.

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