Army plants 5,000 saplings "Go Green" afforestation drive in Gangtok

Gangtok (Sikkim), Aug. 11 : In keeping with its glorious tradition of "Cleaning through Greening" the army launched an afforestation drive in the new military station at Gangtok recently.

A total of 5,000 saplings of different varieties were planted as part of the drive.

Sikkim Governor B.P Singh and the first lady Karuna Singh were the chief guests on the occasion, in which they planted a sapling.

They were followed by Major General Sanjiv Chachra, and their families.

Besides, students of the army school in Gangtok too participated in the drive with great zeal and enthusiasm along with the teachers.

Keeping in view with the mission to greening the station wherever army is deployed, the army feels the station is the best place due to its heavy rains.

"The army generally keeps the areas of its deployment green, so also in Gangtok. We want to involve everybody in greening the station," said Clement Samuel, Deputy G.O.C 17 mountain division, Station commander.

We ' ve embarked on this mission in close association with the State forest Department and have planted about 5,000 of 400 varieties of saplings," he added. By Tashi Pradhan

ANI