Meet Valentina Elangbam, the 10-year-old green activist
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 15 2020: Valentina Elangbam, the 10 year old girl from Hiyanglam Makha Leikai (Kakching) who won the hearts of the people after a video of her crying profusely after some trees which she had planted had been felled went viral on social media sites, has expressed desire to become a Forest Officer when she grows up so that she can do her part to protect and conserve the environment.

It may be recalled that following the incident, Valentina, daughter of Elangbam Premkumar and Elangbam (O) Saya, was even given the title of Environment Ambassador by Chief Minister N Biren Singh as encouragement.

Meet Valentina Elangbam, the 10-year-old green activist

Speaking to The Sangai Express, Valentina narrated that when she was in Class I, her father used to bring tree saplings from the Forest Department and she used to plant the trees in front of their residence near the small stream.

Saying that seeing those trees grow used to give her joy, she stated that last year, cleaning work of the river beds commenced near the area using heavy machinery like JCBs.

On August 3, when she returned from school she found that her trees had been felled for the work process.

She conveyed that she even forgot to eat that day and instead cried her heart out as the people/workers had cut down the trees which she had lovingly nurtured all these years.

She continued that the video of her crying went viral on Facebook and eventually, the authorities got wind of the news and Forest Department officials even came to her home carrying tree saplings so that she could plant them near the area where her trees once stood.

Valentina said that she and her family even went to meet the Chief Minister during a Meeyamgi Numit programme where the CM welcomed her by gifting her tree saplings.

She continued that on August 8 last year, Chief Minister N Biren Singh even named her Environment Ambassador for a year.

Valentina, who will be a class VI student at Amutombi Divine Life English School this year, expressed concern at the rapid change in climatic conditions around the world and appealed to the people to plant trees in order to negate the impact of climate change.

On the other hand, she admired the courage of environmentalist Licipriya Kangujam in her aim of spreading the message of climate change and the need to protect the environment.