News Delhi: Heartfulness Institute (www.heartfulness.org), located at Kanha Shantivanam, Hyderabad, announced that it has successfully completed a milestone of translocating over 1,000 trees in just over a year, with the replantation of the latest batch of 120 trees – coconut trees aged around 15 years from Karur District, Tamil Nadu. Sixty trees in the recent batch arrived Kanha Shanti Vanam on Saturday and the Heartfulness team successfully replanted them within the Shri Ram Chandra Mission premises in Kanha Shantivanam, Hyderabad. With this, the Heartfulness Institute achieves the rare distinction of having undertaken such a massive initiative of not just relocating but also nurturing the trees. Every year of the tree’s existence brings incremental benefits, by extending the longevity of the trees, and Heartfulness Institute preserves these benefits for the planet.

Commenting on the achievement, Kamlesh Patel, also known as Daaji, the fourth Global Guide of Heartfulness said, “Trees are the single most important assets on this planet. Their role and usefulness are beyond measure and most often our understanding. Apart from preservation of the planet itself in the physical sense, trees also exude spiritual qualities that help preserve and retain divinity and create the required balance on a different level. It is therefore important that the number of trees is increased, and more importantly existing trees are protected from being destroyed. One tree saved is equivalent to hundreds of them being planted.”

At Heartfulness Institute, the ongoing Green Kanha initiative is continuously save these trees from destruction, as well as planting new ones on a large scale. The organisation is planning to work closely with governments, corporates and individuals to increase awareness of the cause as well as to contribute towards the effort. Says Daaji, “Only a collective effort can help reduce the risk we are in today of facing a dire situation due to the rapid destruction of green cover. Heartfulness Institute has made a significant beginning and we are hopeful over time that we will have more support from the state, corporations and individuals towards saving the trees.”

Over the last three years, as part its focus to make the area totally self-sustainable, Heartfulness Institute has transformed the rocky, dry and arid land of Kanha Shanti Vanam into a green space. Through relentless efforts, the tree count in the region has increased manifold, the variety of species multiplied to encourage plant diversity, the ground water recharging capability increased by creating artificial ponds for rainwater harvesting, hive boxes installed to attract bees and help speed-up the cross pollination, and flowering plants have been included to attract butterflies. Along with these initiatives, for the first time in 120 years of the drought prone region, attracted good rainfall last year, benefiting the neighbouring villages as well. The aesthetics of the region is now more pleasing to the eye, birds come to the ponds, and there is also economic activity in the villages due to activities at Kanha Shanti Vanam and the requirements of greening the space.