Bettiah: This Valentine's day, let us meet the tree lover who has vowed to stay single and dedicate his life to trees. So far, he has planted eight lakh saplings, a gift to the society and posterity. Gajendra Yadav, a resident of Pipra village under Narwal Barwal Panchayat of Bagaha block, also considers trees as his family.
He gets upset whenever trees get damaged. Eldest of the four siblings, Gajendra celebrates Dussehra, Diwali, Raksha Bandhan and all other festivals with trees. He has decided to remain unmarried and work for the development of trees in the area.
Gajendra's act has drawn appreciation from both Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his former deputy Sushil Kumar Modi. He was invited to Patna and felicitated for his commendable work. IGP fire and rescue services Vikas Vaibhav, on Gajendra's invitation, had once planted a mango sampling at an intersection near Semarkol Tirhut canal of Narwal Barwal panchayat to give the message of peace and harmony.
After this, Gajendra started planting saplings there one after the other. The area which was once infamous for theft, snatching, murder and rape became a family hangout point for those from the neighbouring pocket. The intersection is now named after Vikas Vaibhav.
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Gajendra began his tree planting drive in 2003. He has chosen Banyan, Pakad and Neem saplings, among others. He said trees bind the soil and help in preventing soil erosion while providing shelter to the birds. Trees also contribute to the environment by releasing oxygen which is needed for life, he said.
Gajendra has utilized the empty spaces in embankments, canals, roads, outskirts of villages and school premises to plant trees. This apart, he has also prepared a nursery. Around 100 youths assist Gajendra in maintaining the trees. Apart from maintenance, Gajendra and his team keep an eye on woodcutters. Earlier, police had arrested some woodcutters from this area and were later released.
