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Mumbai: Environmentalists have appealed to citizens to celebrate the Raksha Bandhan in a completely new way. Terming the celebration as “Vruksha Bandhan”, they have urged citizens to tie rakhis to the trees in their locality and take a vow to protect them. Traditionally, Raksha Bandhan or bond of protection, celebrates the brother-sister bond with sisters tying rakhis to their brother’s seeking their protection.
“The idea of Vruksha Bandhan (bond with trees) was conceived two years back in 1998 by the Aarey Conservation Group (ACG), when a large number of trees were facing the axe in Aarey due to the proposed Metro Car there. The cases were going on in court and there was a huge public opposition against the cutting of trees. That’s when we made huge rakhis and volunteers and local tribals residing there, tied it to trees with a vow to protect them,” explains Rohit Joshi, a core committee member of the ACG.
This was way before the massive overnight cutting of 2141 trees at Aarey on October 5-6 in 2019. The threat to trees in Aarey and outside continues even today as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has brought out proposals to cut over 2593 trees in Mumbai to make way for various developmental projects. “Also, since it is lockdown and people may not be able to gather at Aarey, we have appealed to people to tie Rakhis to the trees near them,” says Joshi.
