Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead a significant tree plantation drive at Bhagwan Mahavir Vanasthali Park in New Delhi on June 5, 2025, reaffirming India’s commitment to environmental preservation and sustainable development. As part of the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam initiative, Modi will plant a Banyan sapling, contributing to the Aravalli Green Wall project, a large-scale afforestation effort aimed at restoring the 700-kilometer-long Aravalli range. The project will expand green cover in a five-kilometer buffer zone across 29 districts in Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Gujarat, enhancing biodiversity, improving soil fertility, and strengthening climate resilience. The initiative also promises economic benefits for local communities through employment and income generation opportunities.
Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan has urged mass participation in the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0 initiative, which aims to plant one billion trees between June 5 and September 30, 2025. He emphasized that beyond numbers, the campaign symbolizes love and responsibility toward nature, encouraging citizens—especially students—to plant a tree in their mother’s name as a tribute to both their mother and Mother Nature. Since its inception in 2024, the initiative has grown into a mass movement, with 550 million trees already planted across India. Pradhan praised the efforts of children and mothers in Chhattisgarh, Tripura, and Rajasthan, who have pioneered innovative techniques such as seed balls and bio-fencing to enhance afforestation.
In addition to the afforestation drive, Modi will flag off 200 electric buses under Delhi’s sustainable transport initiative, promoting clean urban mobility and reinforcing India’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions. The move aligns with the nation’s broader efforts to transition toward eco-friendly infrastructure, ensuring long-term environmental sustainability.
On the maritime front, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has reaffirmed its leadership in marine conservation, conducting 58 major coastal clean-up operations that removed 194 metric tons of plastic waste over the past year. These efforts align with the global #BeatPlasticPollution campaign and India’s flagship environmental programs, including Swachh Sagar Surakshit Sagar, Puneet Sagar Abhiyan, and Mission LiFE. Operating along India’s 11,000-kilometer coastline, the ICG plays a crucial role in safeguarding coral reefs, mangroves, and nesting beaches that support marine biodiversity and coastal livelihoods.
The ICG’s pollution control fleet, including Samudra Prahari, Samudra Paheredar, and Samudra Pavak, has led swift response efforts against oil spills and chemical pollution, reinforced through large-scale NATPOLREX exercises involving over 50 national stakeholders. Beyond pollution control, the ICG has intensified wildlife conservation measures, with Operation Olivia protecting over 698,000 olive ridley turtles along Odisha’s coast. Anti-poaching operations in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands have curbed the illegal trade of endangered marine species, including sea cucumbers and corals, ensuring the protection of fragile ecosystems.
India’s environmental initiatives on World Environment Day 2025 reflect a comprehensive approach to sustainability, integrating land restoration, clean energy, marine conservation, and biodiversity protection. With large-scale afforestation projects, urban green mobility solutions, and strengthened maritime safeguards, the country continues to set global benchmarks in ecological preservation. Modi’s leadership in these efforts underscores India’s commitment to fostering a greener, more resilient future.
