Plantation drive held to restore greenery in WJH villages

Shillong, July 7: Members of the Project Clean Surrounding, led by city-based green crusader Jefferson Kynjing, recently planted about 500 saplings in Lad Pasyih and Ladmuthlong villages in West Jaintia Hills.

Last month, Kynjing and his team visited East Jaintia Hills to plant saplings and hold an awareness programme in places affected by coal mining.

“Unlike East Jaintia Hills, the villages in West Jaintia Hills are not ravaged by mining. Instead, there are incidents of tree felling. A church elder informed me that locals cut down pine trees to sell them. That is why we visited the villages and made the locals aware of planting trees,” Kynjing said, adding that he started the tree plantation movement in 2016-17.

Kynjing said a friend from the Forest Department helped them with saplings. The project is also supported by the St Edmund’s Past Pupil Association.

“This is the love and support we receive from our well-wishers and I hope and pray that people will restore the environment to the best possible extent,” said the green activist.

The Project Clean Surrounding has covered almost all the districts in the state, including a few in Garo Hills. According to Kynjing, Garo Hills has thicker vegetation than Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills, and hence, the focus is on the latter regions.

On Monday, the Project members will hold another plantation drive and awareness programme near Lum Shillong.