Tree Plantation Drive with Devotional Fervour in Guma Section Villages
Rayagada, Sept 17: A unique tree plantation programme was held today under the Guma Section of the Rayagada Forest Range, where saplings were planted in the name of Ma (Mother Goddess), blending devotion with environmental conservation. The event covered several villages including Guma, Pusubadi, Kiyapadu, Dumapai, Tileru, Udaypur, Kurumulumunda, and Manduluguda.
The atmosphere turned festive as villagers, schoolchildren, teachers, and members of people’s organizations joined hands with the Forest Department to make the drive a success. Young students carried saplings with enthusiasm, while elders offered prayers before planting, symbolizing harmony between faith and nature.
Local Sarpanches, community leaders, and a large number of residents actively participated. From the Forest Department, Guma Forester Shri Rabichandra Patra, Forester Smt. Padmabati Padhi, Forest Guards Shri Labanya Majhi, Shri Pradeep Kumar Sahu, Shri Sameer Kumar Sahu, along with para-forest staff, were present and guided the plantation works.
The initiative was not only an act of greening the villages but also a spiritual offering, as saplings dedicated to the Goddess carried prayers for prosperity, peace, and ecological balance. The drive showcased how tradition and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand.
Reported by Gouri Shankar Pattnaik
