Nine-year-old Aariv K Rao and his five friends have started a plantation drive to increase green cover and fight climate change. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) provided saplings for the initiative, and the TGCOE Horticulture department trained the young environmental enthusiasts.
Aariv, who lives in Jeedimetla village, was inspired to plant trees after seeing many barren areas during a recent trip. He began planning the initiative last year and successfully planted 120 trees at the Maccha Bolarum dump yard on June 5, World Environment Day, with the help of his friends.
GHMC Commissioner D Ronald Rose supported Aariv’s mission by providing native saplings like eucalyptus and decorative plants. The TGCOE Horticulture department offered training on tree planting techniques and is overseeing the germination of over 200 mango seeds collected by Aariv’s team from their apartment residents.
Aariv aims to expand the campaign citywide and beyond, with plans to organize a plantation drive every weekend. He hopes to inspire others across India to join in the effort to increase greenery and protect the environment.