Ananda Khataniar, a resident of Pathsala in Barpeta district, has been nominated as brand ambassador for plantation in the State by the Assam government on Wednesday.
The honour by the State government to a man from Bajali sub-division has been highly lauded by the people of various parts of the sub-division and the district. A number of organizations and people have congratulated Khataniar for brining glory to the area.
The decision to nominate Khataniar as the brand ambassador was declared on Wednesday at the Assam Administrative Staff College, Khanapara during a function organized by the Assam government as a part of celebration of the International Forest Day.
He was honoured by Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
Khataniar will now monitor the mass plantation programmes of the Assam government which will be undertaken with an aim to make Assam a green and pollution-free State.
Ananda Khataniar, aged 50 years, is an employee of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LICI). Born at Kurobaha village under Bajali Sub-division, Khataniar fell in love with nature since his childhood and started his mission of plantation from first January, 2012 just planting a sapling in his own village Kurobaha and in the last 4 years, he has planted several thousand trees in various places with proper protection. Besides he has also distributed at least twenty thousand saplings among the rural people of Barpeta, Baksa and Nalbari districts during this period.
People invite him to plant saplings in almost every occasion and celebration in the locality. After plantation of sapling, he appeals to the people to make a habit of plantation during celebration of birthdays of their own and their children.
He also appeals to make arrangement for protection first and then plantation. He carried out his mission without receiving any financial help from any authority he is continuing his effort of plantation and awareness drives in the locality.
Khataniar informed that he has already decided to spend 2 pc of his annual income for plantation. He has already spent around Rs 20 lakh from his own pocket and planted 30,000 saplings, informed Khataniar.
Last year, Khataniar prepared a schedule at least to visit hundred numbers of schools and meet students and make appeal for plantation in their birthday celebrations.
In January, 2018 while the entire State was celebrating the New Year, the ‘Green Mission, Bajali, took a laudable step by planting a number of Neem saplings at BN High School in Vadnagar of Gujarat, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi had studied.
He has already visited a number of schools and has encouraged the students for plantation besides planting saplings in the school premises. He also made a target to visit at least 50 health centers to plant Neem trees.
When asked about expenditure of plantation he informed that he incurs Rs 250-270 in every plantation including iron protection nets. The green mission is also fighting against pollution and has demanded ban on plastic bags in Bajali sub-division.
His dream is to spread his mission in a revolutionary manner throughout the country in future to create awareness among the public to save trees because trees are an integral part for the survival of Mother Earth.
In recognition to his efforts in plantation he was conferred the title of ‘Seuj Knowar’ by the Writers Forum, Pathsala.