Leh (Ladakh) [India], May 10 : To conserve the environment and promote sustainable development in Ladakh, Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena inaugurated the mass plantation of 2100 cherry saplings at Drikung Dharma Foundation in Phyang.

According to an official release from the administration of Union Territory of Ladakh Lieutenant Governor's Secretariat, the plantation drive was organised as part of a green initiative undertaken by the Drikung Dharma Foundation in collaboration with SankalpTaru Foundation under the guidance and inspiration of His Holiness Drikung Skyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche.
On this occasion, the LG described the mass plantation drive as a significant step towards securing Ladakh's future and preserving its fragile ecosystem.
Exhorting the people of Ladakh to actively participate in plantation drives and environmental conservation activities, LG Saxena also announced a new public participation program, under which every family in Ladakh would be encouraged to plant at least 10 saplings and ensure their survival. Families with the highest survival rate of planted trees would be recognised and awarded.
Since assuming charge as the Lieutenant Governor of UT Ladakh, Vinai Kumar Saxena has been working on a war footing to increase plantation drives across the region by introducing different species of trees and plants suited to Ladakh's climatic conditions. These efforts are aimed at enhancing green cover, combating environmental degradation and developing Ladakh into a sustainable and eco-friendly region.
The Lieutenant Governor highlighted that Ladakh's fragile ecosystem requires extensive plantation efforts to combat environmental challenges and secure the future of the coming generations. He stated that nature-based solutions are the key to addressing environmental concerns and noted that the plantation of cherry saplings marks a new initiative in Ladakh aimed at introducing diverse plant species suitable for the region.
LG, Saxena informed that more than 8,000 saplings have already been planted across Ladakh since he assumed office as the Lieutenant Governor and said that the plantation of 2100 cherry saplings is another important milestone towards enhancing the green cover and enriching Ladakh's floral diversity, the release further said.
Saxena lauded the efforts of Drikung Dharma Foundation for its continued contribution towards environmental protection and social welfare and appreciated the Foundation's plantation drives across different parts of Ladakh, a release added.