Friendship day celebrated with plants in Bhubaneswar

BHUBANESWAR: With an aim to increase green cover and sensitize people about plantation, several organisations in Bhubaneswar, planted saplings and tied friendship bands on trees and took oath to protect them on the occasion of friendship day here on Sunday.
“The main aim of the event is to make the children understand that nature is the best friend of human and we have to take care of them to save the environment,” said Sweta Agrawal, founder of Unmukt- a voluntary organisation that celebrated friendship day by planting saplings and tying bands on trees.
Apart from outdoor plants, children also planted indoor plants that have several benefits like providing oxygen and have medicinal values. “From an early age children must be taught to love plants. So we gave them pots and some decorative plants with medicinal values so that they can take care of them and feel connected with them,” Agrawal said.
Prerana, an organisation that has been leading a plantation movement in the city, also organised celebration of friendship day on Sunday by tying bands on trees and planting saplings. “Trees are better friends than a human being. These are living thing and we should make trees our best friends. Trees are beautiful and we must protect them,” said Dillip Srichandan, a green campaigner.
School children also showcased their creativity by making a number of beautiful and colourful friendship bands which they tied to a tree in school premises later.
Berhampur district collector Bijay Amrit Kulange also took initiative to plant saplings on the occasion of friendship day and conducted a plantation drive in which large number of people participated.