Bhubaneswar: A weeklong ‘Van Mahotsav’ (tree festival) was kicked off at SAI International and SAI International Residential School on Thursday.
The virtual celebration was inaugurated by Sisir Kumar Ratho, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force (PCCF & HoFF), Odisha government.
The seven-day event will see a plantation drive at both the schools by the SAI International Education Group fraternity.
An informative video on Jadav Molai Payeng, the ‘Forest Man of India’, was telecast during the inauguration ceremony to inspire and motivate SAIoneers to make the planet greener and cleaner.
Addressing the students, Ratho said, “It’s a delight to see the happy faces of children while planting trees… they enjoy this task of plantation and should be encouraged so as to build a better world. One should learn the skills of life from trees and connect with the nature, as sowing a sapling today will be the oxygen cylinders of tomorrow and make this earth a better and a greener planet to live in happily. Be compassionate to nature and it will surely reward you.”
He informed that Odisha has adequate forest cover as per National Forest Policy.
SAI International Education Group Chairperson Dr Silpi Sahoo the group believes in instilling a feeling of belongingness and empathy towards mother earth.
“I appeal to all my SAIoneers to go green by planting saplings and going paperless to help save the world from global warming and other elements which are destroying the weather, nature and world,” she stated.
