GUWAHATI, April 12 � The concept of Tree Bihu initiated by Ecotourism Society of North East India has been gradually gaining in popularity. The main uniqueness of Tree Bihu is that it is celebrated by planting a sapling. The society has been urging people to plant one sapling in his or her own place individually or along with their friends on the occasion of Rongali Bihu and to take proper care of the sapling.
�Through Tree Bihu we are encouraging people to plant more and more saplings. We hope that with this small effort we can definitely improve the present scenario of our environment, said Gautam Dutta, president of the society.
Dutta said that Bihu is always somehow associated with nature and more of green hence it is not justified to leave the trees behind while celebrating Manuh Bihu and Goru Bihu.
The main objective behind organising Tree Bihu is to create massive awareness among the general masses regarding afforestation and plantation.
�Usually we get holidays in Assam during Rongali Bihu but Assamese people staying in other parts of the world don�t get holidays during Rongali Bihu. Last year we requested them to celebrate the grand festival of Rongali Bihu by planting a sapling in their own place. We received positive response from everybody and people started sending us pictures regarding their tree plantation during Rongali Bihu last year through emails,� said Dutta.
This year 80 volunteers of the society will travel to different locations of North East India and will motivate the local people of those places to plant saplings having good medicinal values.
�We have already received confirmation from people staying in different parts of North East India along with people from Bangalore, New Delhi, Gurgaon, Ahmedabad, Tamil Nadu, Phuket, Nepal and USA. The students of Tezpur University will also celebrate Tree Bihu in Tezpur,� informed Dutta.
The society has requested people to plant sapling during the first week of Rongali Bihu from April 13 to 20.
