Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Chief Minister Mohan Yadav launched a campaign in Indore on Sunday to plant 21 lakh saplings and install 51,000 rainwater harvesting units during the monsoon as part of efforts to tackle climate change and water scarcity.
Addressing a gathering at the function here, Yadav said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign has evolved into a mass movement across the country.
Climate change posed growing challenges and discussions were underway on the possible impact of El Nino on this year's monsoon, he noted.
"Plantation is the most effective way to address these challenges. There is no better means than trees to maintain ecological balance," the chief minister said.
Yadav said nearly 2.75 lakh water conservation works valued at around Rs 10,000 crore have been undertaken this year under the state government's 'Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan'.
State Urban Development and Housing Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, who is spearheading the plantation drive in Indore, said locations had already been identified for planting 22.5 lakh saplings in the city during the current monsoon against the target of 21 lakh plantations.
The campaign also marked the launch of a drive to install 51,000 rainwater harvesting units across the city.
Vijayvargiya said Indore faced a severe water crisis this summer as nearly 80 per cent of its borewells had dried up. "If we harvest rainwater, next summer will be much better for us," he said.
Indore, the country's cleanest city with a population of over 35 lakh, depends largely on the Narmada River for its drinking water needs. Water is pumped from Jalud in neighbouring Khargone district through an about 80-km pipeline and supplied to households on alternate days.
During the function, Yadav also felicitated Border Security Force (BSF) constables Ravi Chauhan and Ramendra Singh and announced a reward of Rs 2 lakh each from the state government.
The two personnel had displayed exemplary courage despite suffering serious injuries in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast during an anti-Naxal operation in Chhattisgarh last year, according to officials.
State BJP president Hemant Khandelwal and Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Prahlad Singh Patel were also present at the event.
