Taru Mitra is all set to celebrate the Van Mahotsav (Forest Megafest)  once again. “A week- long celebration. A celebration with trees, for trees. From 1st July to 7th July, trees of Taru Mitra  will receive lots of hugs and friendship bands from people”, is how Tarumitra spokesperson Devopriya Dutta puts it.

Taru Mitra, the largest student run ecological movement in India, with UN consultative status, is run by the Jesuits. The organisation networks across hundreds of schools and colleges across the country. The only privately owned bio-reserve in Patna, Taru Mitra is the embodiment of environmental education.

Speaking about plans for the festival, Ms Dutta said, “The cultural artist, Pallavi Vishwas will contribute with dances and songs  related to our mother Earth. Physical Fitness member of Taru Mitra, Chamki Das, will be observed as the chief guest of this Van Mahotsav which is organised in Taru Mitra bio reserve. Students along with their teachers of St. Michael’s, Patna will arrive. People like RJ Apurva of Radio Mirchi, sisters of Notre Dame Academy will mark their presence in the celebration. Also the principal of Indrapuram Girls High School, Deepa Sharan and principal, teachers and students of SR Vidyapeeth are coming. Students of the BMC department of St. Xavier’s College, as well as Members and interns of Aasra Communication will also be present there. “

On 1st July, the Mahotsav will start at 2:30 pm with all the observants and participants. A special and unique request has been made to the guests is to bring handful of soil (the soil can be of anywhere but Taru Mitra) and rice. This one week celebration will have activities such as Tree Adoption, Tree Plantation and Seed Bomb activity by Green Terrorists. And the students have been requested to bring handmade nests as a gift to the nature.

Van Mahotsav will be used for official announcement of ‘Organic Rice Plantation’ which will start from 28 of July. Last year the Van Mahotsav was organised on 28th July in Taru Mitra.

“Even as we celebrate trees,there is a sense of urgency, even desperation being felt by all sensible people. Every day, we can see trees being felled in the name if building roads and bridges. Global warming is staring at us. So is the shrinking water table and acute water shortage.We are in the midst of multiple environmental crises,” says rights activist communication specialist Frank Krishner.

“Protection of the environment is a moral duty for all of us,” says Philip Susai, and educationist and parish priest from Maner, near Patna.

Newsnet Desk with inputs from Tanya Trivedi, based on information by Taru Mitra

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