Environmentalist and CEO of ‘Plantology’, Radhika Anand not only lived up to her resolution called ‘Mission Falvan’ but also made it a national campaign. He has so far planted more than 10 lakh fruit trees in different parts of India. She mainly conducts this ‘Mission Phalvan’ in collaboration with the Indian Army, Paramilitary Forces and various government institutions.
The trees planted by him mainly include fruit trees like mango, tamarind, jackfruit and jamun. They have been deployed in army cantonments and other secure premises in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra. Radhika Anand spoke to TV Bharatvarsh about this campaign on World Environment Day.
Question: You have planted more than 10 lakh trees. What was the reason behind this campaign?
answer: Radhika Anand said that how you spend your life in childhood becomes your identity. My father and my grandfather showed the path to my life. My grandfather was a forest officer of Jammu and Kashmir and my father did MSc Botany from Lahore Government College but he also joined the Air Force. But his love for plants was always there and he instilled that love for the environment in me. So we can say that a seed that someone planted inside you has today become a very big tree and the name of that tree is Radhika Anand.
Question: What is the thinking behind planting 10 lakh fruit trees only?
answer: When I started this mission, I first made its tagline Mission Falwan- Fruit For All. Mission Phalwan means forest of fruits and fruit for all means not just for you and me, but for all the living beings in the entire universe. So whether it is a tree, animals, birds or insects, it is for all of them. We people have a misconception, we think that the tree whose fruit we cannot eat is not a fruit tree. Whereas Neem tree is also a fruit tree. Banyan tree is also a fruit tree. It depends who eats it. So all the trees come in Mission Phalwan. So that’s why I have planted more than 10 lakh trees.
Question: 10 lakh, this number is very high. How difficult was it to get this work off the ground?
answer: Initially I did a lot of work with the Delhi government. Had also done this with the Central Government. In 2014, a thought came to my mind that what would I do with the money I have earned? So I want to put this money back into the environment. Then I went to Delhi government. He said that your idea is very good but where does Delhi have the land? I went to the central government. He told me that two states have declared drought, so where is the water? What I mean to say is that the government system works on a ‘let it go as it goes’ style.
Then I reached FICCI. He said you are a single woman. How can we support you? We support the industrial houses. Then in 2014, I met an army officer during a train journey. During the conversation, I told about my passion that I want to plant fruit trees all over the country, that too with my own money. After this he gave his card, from which I understood who he was. I got a call the very next day. So General KJ Singh, who was the Chief of the Western Command at that time, called me to his office and shook my hand and said, ma’am, the Indian Army would like to partner with you.
So my journey started from here. If these people save the country then saving the plants means nothing to them. That’s why the trees are saved for me. So I can say this, if I have planted 10 lakh trees then I am so confident in my strength that I am seeing more than 90% survival rate in India.
Question: How was the experience of working with the army?
answer: I started my journey in 2014, but had to wait till July 2015 due to monsoon. So on July 10, 2015, our convoy moved with the army. After which we planted saplings on the entire Punjab border. I planted 85,000 saplings. I was so happy that I was using my money for good. The Chief of Western Command told me, Ma’am, you are creating a green wall between the enemy country and us. Thank you. So in that way you can think that in a way I also became a green soldier.
Question: How did you deal with the problem of land and water shortage?
answer: How can Delhi government say that they do not have land? Do colleges and schools have less land? Radhika Anand said that I had gone to Iran a few years ago. I have come back after seeing Mission Falvan in Iran. Every market, every intersection, every building, even on both sides of the highway, have fruit trees. If you want, you can launch a campaign but for that you will have to think a little differently.
Question: You are the green ambassador of NSG, BSF, CISF. How would you describe this journey?
answer: Radhika Anand told that when I was working with the army, I had a friend. He called me for tea in Khan Market and asked me, “Radhika, will you plant some saplings for me?” So I said, I will plant it but where to plant it? He says, I will tell. The headline that appeared in the newspaper after two days was Sudhir Pratap Singh appointed DG NSG. He did not tell me that he was going to become DG NSG. After a month I got a call from him. He asked me, Radhika, do you remember your promise? I said, I remember it exactly. After which I reached NSG campus Manesar.
I met a person there. He asked for my card. After two days a call came that you have been called to CISF Headquarters. Here I met DG CISF. He asked me a question, will you become the green ambassador of CISF? Then when I left from there, I messaged DG NSG and thanked him. He talked to me and said that first you will become the green ambassador of NSG and then you will become theirs. So I first became the Green Ambassador of NSG and then of CISF and then of BSF.
Question: What was the biggest problem you faced in your journey as a single woman?
answer: Radhika Anand said that the Army has definitely given me the title of Single Woman Army, but at first I also faced difficulties. But if there are no difficulties in your journey, then you will not become a success story. People used to think that she will plant trees, how will she plant them? My father-in-law once laughingly told me that people are not able to plant even 100 trees in their life. So when I planted 5000 saplings with the Army for the first time, my in-laws were very happy. At that time, he was the chairman of our family company, Parijat Industries. They passed a resolution that a small portion of Parijat Industries’ CSR will be given to my company every year.
Question: The people of the city complain that they do not have land to plant trees, so what would you like to tell them?
answer: If you also have a small balcony in your house. There is a slab in the kitchen. You start growing some plants on it. If you live in a colony, go to your park and plant trees. You keep just one plant in your office. If the pitcher fills drop by drop, you can do all this.
Question: How do you reuse water from shower, washing machine, detergent, shampoo, soap?
answer: If you say that there is some problem in my plant, it is not green, has turned yellow or is infested with insects. If you tell me any problem, my answer is to take a one liter spray bottle. Put water in it. Then add one spoon of any detergent. Add one spoon of completely rotten oil which we repeatedly use for frying, shake it well and sprinkle it on your plant again and again every two or three days. Your problem will be over.
Question: I made an oxygen chamber in your house, tell me about it?
answer: There are some plants which emit more oxygen and especially the fancy type, which we call snake plant, is also called mother in law tongue. These plants, especially Sansevera, provide oxygen 24 hours even at night. You can keep it anywhere in your house. It provides more oxygen. So when I was building this house, I thought why not make a place like this in my house. From where more oxygen can be obtained. If you have Erica Palm, you have Lily. You have spider plant, aloe vera, these are some plants and NASA has even proved that if you keep four big Erica palms in a room, then the oxygen supply will be quite good.
Question: If you would ask people to give up anything to save the environment, what would it be?
answer: single use plastic
Question: Any message to people on World Environment Day?
answer: Whatever religion you belong to, while leaving this world, the last journey takes place with the support of wood. Plant at least one tree for your mother earth, otherwise you will carry this debt with you.
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