New Delhi, June 5: On the occasion of World Environment Day that is celebrated on June 5 each year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi planted a Sindoor sapling at his official residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg on Thursday.

During his recent visit to Kutch, a group of women who had shown remarkable courage in the 1971 war met PM Modi and presented Sindoor saplings to him.

During the 1971 India-Pakistan war, the Bhuj airstrip was rendered unusable by bombings by enemy airplanes and 300 women in Gujarat risked their lives to help rebuild it in 72 hours which helped India launch its air strikes.

During an event in Bhuj on May 26 this year, PM Modi interacted with 13 of the surviving women, who are known as 'Viranganas.' The women blessed him and presented him with a few Sindoor saplings.

PM Modi was touched by this gesture and said that he would plant the Sindoor saplings at his official residence.

In keeping with that promise, on Thursday he planted a Sindoor sapling at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg.

Earlier, greeting the nation on World Environment Day, PM Modi urged the people to deepen efforts towards protecting planet Earth.

In a post on his X handle, the Prime Minister wrote on Thursday, “This #WorldEnvironmentDay, let’s deepen our efforts towards protecting our planet and overcoming the challenges we face. I also compliment all those working at the grassroots to make our environment greener and better.”

He is also slated to plant a sapling at Mahavir Jayanti Park in Delhi as part of the celebrations and initiatives organised across India on the occasion of World Environment Day and also to celebrate the anniversary of 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam Par', an initiative that was launched by the PM to protect the environment as well as honour the motherland and motherhood.

The ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam Par 2.0’ initiative aims to plant 10 crore trees between June 5 and September 30 this year across India.

(IANS)

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