DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand government and residents celebrated the beginning of 'Harela' -- a traditional festival when saplings are planted across households -- with great fervour on Saturday.
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated at a public event to start the celebrations of the state festival of 'Harela' at Maharana Pratap Sports College in Raipur.
Dhami laid stress on plantation drives with an aim to revive water sources of the state. "Our primary focus should remain on replenishing the depleting water of rivers and its tributaries so that the next generation gets pure air to breathe and a pollution-free environment," the CM said.
This year, the state plans to plant at least five lakh saplings out of which nearly 50% would be fruit saplings as Subodh Uniyal, forest minister, said.
Uniyal has directed the officials of all the forest divisions to conduct a mass plantation exercise. Similarly, education minister Dhan Singh Rawat also participated at a 'Harela' event in a government school and promoted the "habit of nurturing nature for clean air".
Residents and various social organisations also began plantation drives in different parts of the state.
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