Students observed the “World Environment Day” on Saturday by celebrating the completion of 209 years of Asia’s second largest tree at Jalikhata village in Assam’s Bajali district.
They celebrated the occasion by planting saplings in the premises of the Jalikhata temple where the tree is located.
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Locals believe that the banyan tree, which spreads over four bighas of land, is 209 years old.
Environment activists and nature lovers had celebrated the completion of 207 years of the tree on this day in 2019.
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The people of the area had gathered in huge numbers to cut a cake weighing 60 kg on the occasion last year.
The famous banyan tree has in the past attracted many tourists including, scholars from Korea and Japan.
Ananda Khataniyar, brand ambassador of the forest and environment department of Assam, said, “The world is facing a dearth of oxygen supply for Covid-19 patients during the ongoing pandemic. So, we should plant more trees to increase the oxygen level in the environment.”
Nature lover, Smita Parashar said, “Today we planted more than 50 saplings across the Pathsala town. Everyone should work together towards restoring the degrading ecosystem.”