In an effort to promote environmental conservation and increase green cover, Bharti Verma, a teacher at the Government Primary School in Paunsari, has launched a seed ball campaign with the participation of her students. The initiative aims to encourage tree plantation and raise awareness about environmental protection among students and the community. After preparing the eco-friendly seed balls with the help of schoolchildren, Verma distributed them to block-level public representatives and administrative officials to spread the message of nature conservation. The initiative was appreciated by the recipients, who described it as an inspiring contribution towards protecting the environment. The seed balls were presented to Janpad Panchayat Chairman Chandraprakash Tonde, Sub-Divisional Officer (Revenue) Atul Kumar Shete, Janpad Panchayat Chief Executive Officer CP Manhar, Block Education Officer Sanjay Shrivastava and Block Resource Coordinator Kiran Kumar Verma. Assistant Block Education Officers DS Thakur, Rakesh Singh and CS Dhruv, along with Savitribai Phule Federation convener Lokesh Kumar Verma, were also present.

 

Explaining the initiative, Bharti Verma said the seed balls are made from a mixture of soil, cow dung manure and seeds of shade-giving and fruit-bearing trees. She said the seed balls can be scattered on vacant land, roadsides, hilly terrain and barren areas during the monsoon, where they germinate under favourable conditions and grow into trees, helping expand green cover at a low cost. She said the campaign is intended to make students aware of environmental conservation, climate change, the importance of trees and biodiversity, while motivating them to actively participate in tree plantation and care for saplings. Verma said she drew inspiration from Bilha-based teacher Kaleshwar Sahu, who has prepared and distributed more than 2.70 lakh seed balls as part of similar environmental initiatives. She stressed that environmental conservation requires active public participation in addition to government programmes. According to her, if every individual plants and nurtures at least one sapling each year, the region can gradually be transformed into a greener landscape. Block Education Officer Sanjay Shrivastava praised the initiative, saying involving schoolchildren in environmental conservation is an investment in a sustainable future. He said such efforts will help instil environmental responsibility among the younger generation and deliver long-term benefits.