India: Many parts of northern India are grappling with severe air pollution. The National Capital Region is witnessing “very poor” to “severe” air quality and the air quality index (AQI) in some parts of the city has reached 488 on a scale that maxes out at 500.
While there are several factors contributing to air pollution, including vehicular and factory emissions and farm fires, planting trees and ensuring adequate green cover are effective remedies to fighting it.
RoundGlass Foundation is on a mission to plant one billion trees in Punjab and has already completed planting 20 lakh trees in the State, which is often in the news for adding to Delhi NCR’s air pollution woes. As part of its Plant for Punjab programme, RoundGlassFoundation has planted more than 1,200 mini forests and 432 parks across 1,300 villages in Punjab since 2019 to improve the quality of air, water, and soil in the state. Just in 2023, it planted 10 lakh trees.
To ensure better health of the mini forests and the local environment, RoundGlass Foundation plants tree species that are native to Punjab such as farah, desi kikar, desi beri, reru and phulai. Native trees have better chances of survival. They need less fertiliser, are hardy, non-invasive and offer a home to local wildlife. RoundGlass Foundation raises more than 170 varieties of native species at its nurseries.
Plants and trees fight air pollution by absorbing carbon dioxide and emitting oxygen, and they also filter out air pollutants like sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. Additionally, trees bind the soil and enhance its biodiversity, regulate water cycles, help mitigate climate change, and restore biodiversity. Plantation activities improve the health and livelihoods of local communities.
Talking about planting 20 lakh trees in Punjab, Sunny Gurpreet Singh, Founder, RoundGlass, said, “Our audacious goal of planting a billion trees is now more than a dream: it is becoming a reality. This programme, driven by passion and dedication, reflects our commitment to environmental conservation. I have a deep sense of gratitude to the people of Punjab, the state government, Panchayats, and the dedicated teams on the ground who collaborated with us. I want to applaud the Roundglass Foundation team for their tireless efforts in promoting planetary and societal wellbeing.”
Vishal Chowla, Leader, RoundGlass Foundation, added, “When we crossed the 10-lakh tree milestone last year in December, we were energised by the achievement and took it upon ourselves to reach a new goal of planting another 10 lakh trees in 2023. The team worked remarkably on the ground, mobilising resources, identifying locations, liaising with Panchayats, and preparing the land, all with support from the local communities and the youth of Punjab. As a team, we are grateful to all the communities and stakeholders who have helped us so far and continue to support us on our mission to plant 1 billion trees in Punjab. To address the problem of deteriorating air quality, we have taken up the task of regreening Punjab and we are open to partnerships to replicate our global model of tree plantation across India.”
