'Plant a tree for a Govt job' idea mooted
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 11 2024: In a novel idea to combat climate change and safeguard the ecosystem, environmental activist Manikanta Mutum has proposed certification of people who plant and nurture the growth of a tree and make the certificate a mandatory document to apply for Government jobs.

Speaking to the media at Manipur Press Club today, Manikanta continued that he will submit a memorandum with two agendum to the Chief Minister, Ministers and MLAs to consider his proposal and let the District Forest Officers issue certificates to students and people who plant a tree and tend the sapling.

Saying that he will start a tree plantation campaign from July 14 with students at Sekmai Tulasing Junior High School, the activist maintained that only planting a sapling, however, is not enough to fight climate change as the saplings need care to grow.

Emphasising the need to nurture the planted saplings, Manikanta added that he will first submit a memorandum to the 40 MLAs of the valley districts to look after the tree saplings across the State and ensure they grow to maturity.

The activist said that one of his agendas proposes issuances of certificates by District Forest Officers concerned to students and people who plant and look after the tree saplings until their maturity and make the certificate a mandatory document to apply for Government jobs.

The second agenda suggests granting of grace marks by school authorities to students of Government, private and aided schools who plant tree saplings, he said and added that he will urge the legislators to discuss his proposal in the upcoming Assembly session and the Cabinet meeting.

Stating that the campaign will be flagged off by Arambai Tenggol leader Korounganba Khuman from Sekmai Tulasing Junior High School on June 14, the activist continued that he won't use any vehicle to go the residences of the Ministers and MLAs to submit his memorandum.

Manipur has been witnessing the impact of climate change and environmental degradation since the last few years, Manikanta said and recounted how the State was hit by flood twice in a short span of time recently.

Deforestation and recurrence of floods cannot be counted as natural calamity.

It is human calamity, he said.

Saying that he has grown about 2000 trees in the last 7-8 years, Manikanta added that saving the environment, however, needs support from the masses.

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