Apeejay Stya University students plant saplings to promote environmental awareness

Apeejay Stya University’s (ASU) School of Pharmaceutical Sciences organised a plantation drive to promote the cause of environmental conservation. The programme was arranged in association with Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WICCI) and AKP Healing India.

Experts have for long drawn our attention to the environmental degradation caused by human action and have urged people to protect natural resources. Habitat loss, climate change and increasing pollution levels are some of the major issues that the world is grappling with today.

In the wake of this global crisis, ASU planned the initiative to educate students about the responsibility they have towards nature. The students planted a variety of saplings at ASU’s Herbal Garden.

Dr Amrit Kaur Puri, environmental scientist and founder of AKP Healing India, was invited as a guest.

Talking about his experience, Aaditya Singh, a first-year student of B Pharm, said, “My experience was very enriching and full of learning. I was delighted to plant my hibiscus sapling which in no time will grow and produce beautiful flowers. Giving them adequate water, coconut peat will now be a routine task for me.”

Added Aaditya’s batchmate Drishti Chandhok, “It was my first plantation drive. I had a wonderful experience. I want to convey a special thank you to Apeejay stya University and Pharmaceutical Department for this. I planted mogra sapling at the Herbal Garden.”

Muskaan Gupta, another first-year student at the department, said, “I planted a small mogra sapling. It was really a great experience to plant trees and saplings. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to contribute to the environment in such a beautiful way.”

The other saplings included those of jackfruit, sapota (chikoo), pomegranate, Indian gooseberry (amla), sweet lime, oranges, Chinese lime (narangi), guava, custard apple, Java plum (jamun), holy basil (tulsi), and ajwain.

“A person consumes around 18 million litres of oxygen in a lifetime. One tree produces approximately 100 kg oxygen per year. This means, one should plant a minimum of 10 trees in their lifetime to maintain a balance in the environment. But that is not where the job ends. You have to nurture the plants and that is what we want our students to learn. We encourage every student joining us to plant a sapling and nurture them for at least four years. Our goal is to infuse in them love and a sense of belonging towards nature.”

-Dr Anupama Diwan, dean, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Apeejay Stya University