The Sunday Indian Weekly’s this year’s 2011 Independence Day special issue is altogether a special one.  The issue brought out the relentless service put in for the society by the unknown heroes from different Indian states.  This issue’s another specialty is that its cover story’s major part is set apart for a serious issue called ‘environment’.

Four major stories are covered in this aspect.  TSI reporter. Kumar Buradikatti in his story,   “The road of Life” the story of an Eighty-year-old woman of Karnataka state, Saalumarada Timmakka.  The story named her as the mother of 284. The reporter says:  “Her children aren’t flesh and blood creatures but gigantic banyan trees. It was with her own hands that she planted and nurtured these trees that flank a four-km stretch of a public road between Kudur and Hulikal villages in Karnataka’s Ramanagara district”  To read more of her struggle and success story please click here: “The road of Life” 

Another story on this line is a story of a teacher, who has turned his village into a lab for a successful ‘green’ revolution.  In this story the TSI reporter Hemanta Phukan says:

“For his daughter Junumoni Begum’s wedding in 2006, retired schoolteacher Majnul Hussain went green with intent. He presented a neem sapling to each of the invited guests. It added up to over 400 plants.  Hussain says: “I wanted to create awareness about the need for protecting the environment by planting trees,”   pointing out that neem leaves not only have medicinal qualities but also serves to purify the air we breathe. It was a wedding that is still talked about for all the right reasons.”  His love for nature and trees developed at a young age when he was a young teacher.  He too concentrate his activates to promote his cause through students and other youngsters.  Read more about this service oriented person and an author to several books, who pledged his body to the Guwahati Medical College HERE “The roots run deep”

Yet another story is about a saint stand apart from all the other saints.  Here is a saint with a special vision for the development of nature.  When all of his counterparts talks about spirituality, life after death etc, this Baba speaks and seeks to solve the problems the common man faces in this life.  His priority goes to the people’s present health by preserving the environment, by checking water pollution, planting trees and reviving dying rives.   He also understands the importance of education and promotes his cause through the young generation and an environment research centre was established in the college which got appreciation from the former President of India Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam.

The TSI reporter Surinderpal Sarao says:  “In most of his sermons, Sant Balbir Singh preaches that tree plantation is a pious duty of all. He distributes saplings as prasad of god to his devotees with an advice not only to plant them but also to take care of them till they grow up. While giving saplings of fruit trees to the people, he also asks them to bring the fruit of the trees for him to eat. This is to ensure that his disciples actually plant it and nurture it into a tree.  Read more about this Special Saint here at this link: “A saint with a difference”

Yet another story emphasized on environmental issue is of yet another

educationist from the land of Kerala, commonly called or known as  “The God’s Own Country”

Kerala’s own Fidel Story reveals much about an environmentalist one man army.  Though Kerala is famous for its lush green surroundings still much more need to do and Prof. Sobhindran Mash took that as a challenge and doing yeomen service even at the age of 60 plus.  This is something amazing and everyone needs to note of it.   Read more about this professor who works for preserving the natural resources of the nation at this link: “Kerala’s Own Fidal” by TSI reporter Kaavaalam Sasikumar.  Also you can read my prize winning letter here at this link Follow Suit.  
Also read the Malayalm version Here

Source:

New Delhi

Picture Credit TSI