This refers to Sunita Narain's column "Planting trees for development" (Down to Earth, April 26). After independence, India took to Vanamahotsav and family planning in a big way and made them both a national mission. We have moved away from these lofty objectives and are the second largest populated nation in the world. Moreover, our tree cover is rapidly shrinking.
We need tree lovers, such as Sunderlal Bahuguna and Saalumarada Thimmakka, and movements like Chipko and Appiko to save our tress and our life. Without trees humans would not exist. Ancient Indian texts such as Vrikshayurveda extol the virtues of trees. We have just started to realise the true nature of tree-benevolence. More importantly, the absence of trees would mean the near absence of oxygen.
H N Ramakrishna Bengaluru
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