From Planting Trees to Protecting Them: Income Tax Department Plans ‘Income Tax Vatika’ in Ujjain

Plantation Drive Held at Vikram University Under ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’; MP Anil Firoziya and Tree Champions Honoured

Ujjain | SDNA

Environmental protection is increasingly moving beyond symbolic plantation drives, with the Income Tax Department, Ujjain, taking an initiative aimed at ensuring that newly planted saplings survive and grow into mature trees.

As part of the ‘Swachhta Hi Seva-2026’ campaign, a special plantation programme was organised on the Vikram University campus under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative. The event combined tree plantation with a commitment to long-term care and protection of the saplings.

A key announcement during the programme was the Income Tax Department’s decision to develop an ‘Income Tax Vatika’ on the campus. The proposed green space is intended not merely to increase the number of planted saplings but to create a sustained system for their maintenance and survival.

The Real Challenge Begins After Plantation

Planting a sapling is often considered the visible beginning of an environmental campaign. However, the success of such an initiative ultimately depends on what happens after the plantation ceremony.

During the programme, emphasis was placed on regular watering, protection and long-term maintenance so that the newly planted saplings can survive and eventually develop into trees.

MP Anil Firoziya, along with Income Tax Department officials, employees and representatives of social and other organisations, participated in the programme.

Tree Champions Recognised for Their Contribution

The programme also included recognition of individuals and organisations contributing to environmental conservation.

Anil Firoziya and several ‘Vriksha Mitras’ (friends of trees) were honoured for their contribution towards promoting tree conservation and environmental awareness.

Speaking on the occasion, Firoziya stressed that plantation should not be treated as the final objective. According to him, the real responsibility begins with protecting and nurturing a sapling until it becomes a healthy tree.

He also highlighted that environmental conservation cannot be the responsibility of a single department or organisation and requires participation from society as a whole.

‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ Adds an Emotional Connect

The ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign seeks to create a personal and emotional connection between people and trees.

The message behind the initiative is that a sapling planted in the name of one’s mother should not remain merely a symbolic gesture. It should become a living commitment to nature.

Participants emphasised that if individuals begin treating the trees they plant with the same care they give to something personally valuable, the cumulative environmental impact could become significant over the years.

Income Tax Vatika Could Become a Green Model

The proposed ‘Income Tax Vatika’ was welcomed as an example of how public and government premises can also contribute to environmental conservation.

Instead of limiting green initiatives to one-day plantation events, such spaces can potentially become long-term green zones involving government employees, students, citizens, social organisations and environmental volunteers.

The broader objective is to encourage public participation in both plantation and post-plantation care.

From Cleanliness to Environmental Responsibility

The programme was organised under the wider ‘Swachhta Hi Seva-2026’ campaign, extending the message of cleanliness into the broader area of environmental responsibility.

At the conclusion of the event, Income Tax officer Roop Narayan Patel expressed gratitude to the guests, departmental officials and employees, tree volunteers and participating organisations for their cooperation.

Those present also took a pledge to support cleanliness, protect the environment and ensure regular care of the saplings planted during the programme.

The Bigger Message: Survival Matters More Than Numbers

The most important takeaway from the initiative is a shift in the way plantation drives are measured.

The number of saplings planted may provide an immediate figure for a campaign, but the environmental benefit depends on how many of those saplings survive and grow into trees.

This makes the proposed ‘Income Tax Vatika’ significant beyond its physical location. If properly maintained, such green spaces can demonstrate how public institutions can become active participants in long-term environmental conservation.

A Sapling Is Only the Beginning

The initiative sends a simple message: planting a tree is an event, but protecting it is a responsibility.

If government institutions, educational campuses, citizens and social organisations work together beyond the plantation day, individual saplings can gradually become a lasting green legacy for future generations.

(SDNA)