Green India Challenge takes up Mangrove plantation in Sundarbans

As part of its eighth edition, the Green India Challenge planted 2,000 mangrove saplings in the Sundarbans to strengthen coastal resilience and biodiversity. The initiative, supported by Purbasha Eco Helpline Society and Igniting Minds, also pledged 1 lakh trees across India.

Hyderabad: Commemorating its eighth edition, the Green India Challenge |(GIC) took up mangrove plantation drive in the Sundarbans.

Founded in 2018 by former Rajya Sabha MP J Santhosh Kumar, GIC has emerged into a nationwide movement.

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On Sunday, as part of its eighth edition, the GIC in collaboration with the Purbasha Eco Helpline Society and the Igniting Minds, took up plantation of 2,000 mangrove saplings in the Gosaba region of Sundarbans.

These saplings promise transformative benefits, including bolstering defences against rising seas and cyclones, stabilising livelihoods for fishing and farming communities, nurturing habitats for endangered species, and contributing to India’s sustainable development commitments.

The Sundarbans drive was elevated by the presence of Umashankar Mandal, revered as the “Mangrove Man of Bengal.” As General Secretary of the Purbasha Eco Helpline Society, Mandal has devoted more than two decades to reviving these vital ecosystems, restoring thousands of hectares of degraded coastline.

“Mangroves are nature’s sentinels,” Mandal shared during the event. “They stand as our first line of defence against the storms of climate change, protecting lives and legacies alike” he said.

GIC’s partners brought profound synergy to the initiative. The Purbasha Eco Helpline Society, under president Deepankar Mandal and General Secretary Umashankar Mandal, has been a beacon of hope in the Sundarbans for nearly 20 years.

Focusing on mangrove restoration, poverty alleviation, and women’s empowerment through skill-building and interest-free loans, the organisation has uplifted over 5,000 families whilst promoting eco-tourism and solar energy.

Complementing this is Igniting Minds, founded by M Karunakar Reddy, which champions environmental education and youth engagement in reforestation and climate literacy, cultivating tomorrow’s green leaders.

GIC launched the latest edition of its Green Day Challenge, pledging to plant 100,000 trees across India in reverence to Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’s visionary call for a harmonious blend of progress and planetary care.

Prof Ashish Kumar Paul and prof Mukhopadhyay, advocates for sustainable coastal management; students from Ramakrishna Sarada Peetham, geo-engineering scholars innovating shoreline protections; 500 fervent Green Army (Haritha Sena) members; and 10 representatives from Infosys and others participated in the event.