Addressing a public meeting at Nehra in Shimla(rural) subdivision after planting a sapling of 'Deodar' at a plantation programme organised by the State BJP Mahila Morcha he said afforestation programme had to be made a mass movement to achieve the desired objective of slowing down the process of global warming which was leading to climate change.

Dhumal underlined the need for revival of old and ageing plants so that by the time old trees completed their lifecycle there were enough young trees to take their place. He said plants were the most valuable wealth of the state which needed to be protected at all costs.

The chief minister said the state government had raised the matter of providing rights to the people to use the trees in their land for their own bona fide purposes. He said the state government had succeeded in getting the rights restored to the owner of the trees grown on the land of the people.

He said the government had launched a special plantation drive to revive the deodar plantation which lent a special charm to natural beauty of Shimla. The State Forest Department was carrying out the drive with the help of 11 NGOs and local organisations which had come forward to protect the plantations till they matured. He hoped that with the active participation of every section of society, Shimla would regain its past glory and the majestic ‘deodar’ forests for which it was known in the country.

Dhumal said 'Vanmahotsva’ should not be considered a mere formality, it must motivate people to protect the green cover as failure to do so would lead to disastrous consequences like global warming.