A youth-led initiative has blossomed in the heart of Bandra as Mumbai’s Air Quality Index (AQI) dipped to a concerning ‘poor’ category last week. In a bid to promote environmental well-being, residents joined hands to spearhead a plantation drive on the Carter Road Promenade

Starting out with phase 1 of the drive, 53 saplings were planted at the seashore alongside Bandra Bay. Saakshi Teckchandani (23), founder of Planet for Plants and Animals (PPAIndia), organised ‘Vriksharopan’ – the tree-planting campaign along with Trivankumar Karnani, 120 students from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies and the Rotary Club of Bandra. A recurring drive, it saw wide participation from not just youth but senior citizens as well

With a roster of 20 volunteers from schools and colleges, the team at PPAIndia is injecting renewed vigour into a cause that promises future outcomes. What inspired them, we ask Saakshi? She tells Midday: “While commuting to my college via Bandra Worli Sea Link – I saw the skyline laden with haze, with only a silhouette of the city visible. That was the tipping point"

Rahul Rohra (40), General Secretary of the Rotary Club of Bombay Bandra tells Midday: “Each tree we plant is an act of defiance against man-made disasters that pollute our air. As we stood on the shores of Carter Road, I couldn't help but think of the kind of world we'll leave behind for future generations. It's our responsibility, as individuals and as a community, to counteract the effects of pollution and tree planting is our way of reclaiming clean air for our beloved Bandra"

“We became the foot and fingers of the elderly who cheered us while we planted the saplings,” shares Trivankumar Karnani – the young advocate with the Bombay High Court and founder of Mumbai North Central District Forum (MNCDF) that works in the field of citizen welfare and public interest.