Known as Haryana’s ‘Tree Man’, Devender Sura (35) is a constable in the Haryana Police. An athlete, the father of two turned environmentalist after observing the loss of forest cover in his state, and decided to reverse that on his own. His journey began in 2012, when he started planting trees in Sonipat. He says, “We plant 40-50k trees every year, with focus on Indian species like lilac, banyan and fig.” With his father bearing all family expenses, he spends his salary on tree plantation. “I’ve been spending all my earnings on this for the past 12 years.”
“Materialism is rising. People are cutting trees for it. As a result, bird species are losing their abodes, which is resulting in extinction of many bird species,” Sura says, adding, “The Covid-19 pandemic was a result of us not preserving nature. We are disturbing the earth’s balance, and need to restore it.”
Through a people’s movement, Sura has so far connected with 11,500 youth across his state who plant trees, preserve them and ensure their safety. “We call them Paryavaran Mitra (friends of the environment).” Sura remembers a time when Haryana had a lot of greenery. “Our forest cover is 90 per cent destroyed, and water levels are going down. I want people to become aware of the cost of materialism.”
Sura has opened a “Janata Nursery” along the Sonipat-Gohana highway, where around 25,000 saplings of various species of trees are prepared every year for distribution free of cost.
(This appeared in the print edition as "Haryana's Tree Man")
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