In a gesture which many will think weird, a green enthusiast has removed fully grown and milk-yielding rubber trees from his 5- acre plot and planted saplings of natural, fruit-bearing trees in Mundaje village of Belthangady taluk of Dakshina Kannada district.
Without stopping at planting saplings, the enthusiast named it “Kargil Vana,” for his admiration of armed forces personnel, got it inaugurated last week and also performed “Vruksha Bandhana” on Monday vowing to protect them as a thanksgiving gesture to the armed forces and the environment.
Forty-seven-year-old Sachin Bhide from Thambettu in Mundaje was keen on joining the Army, but could not succeed; his cousin Nithin Bhide is a Colonel with the Indian Army. He was always mesmerised by the personnel and their commitment to protect the nation, Mr. Bhide told The Hindu . His admiration for the armed forces only increased after doing the Amarnath Yatra and subsequently visiting Dras in Kargil.
Also an active member of Sahyadri Sanchaya, a group of passionate environmentalists in the region, Mr. Bhide decided to give back to the nature and at the same time show his respect to the armed forces. Last year, he got about 800-900 fully grown, milk-yielding rubber trees removed from his plot and planted about 800 saplings. When he was thinking of inaugurating the Kargil Vana, torrential rains and landslips the region upset his plan.
This year again, Mr. Bhide replanted the saplings, all native to the Western Ghat region and many of them fruit-bearing. He got the Vana inaugurated by ex-servicemen from Belthangady. On Monday, when everyone was celebrating Raksha Bandhan, a festival where brothers vow to protect their sisters, Mr. Bhide celebrated “Vruksha Bandhana” where he along with four ASHA workers — Chandravathi, Jayanthi,Gayathri and Shashi — tied rakhis made of coconut leaves. “We have tied rakhis to 527 saplings in memory of 527 Kargil martyrs,” he said adding Sahyadri Sanchaya’s leading force, Dinesh Holla, was his inspiration.
Complimenting Mr. Bhide, Mr. Holla said “Vruksha Bandhana” was a true gesture towards restoring the lost bond with nature.
Mr. Bhide said he would offer free boarding and lodging to members of Kargil war martyrs’ families if they wish to visit “Kargil Vana” at his place.
