Govt college alumni launch plantation drive in Dharamsala

In a stirring tribute to their alma mater and mother nature, members of the Old Students’ Association (OSA) of Government College, Dharamsala, organised a spirited plantation drive on Monday. The initiative was embraced as a living testament to their commitment to the environment and the enduring spirit of their college days.

Kangra Deputy Commissioner Hemraj Bairwa lauded the association’s efforts to combine ecological awareness with community spirit. “This is not just a plantation; it’s a legacy in the making. What you sow today will shape the air, soil and soul of tomorrow,” Bairwa said in his address to the participants.

The plantation included a wide variety of indigenous and ornamental trees such as jamun, bhera, amla, shisham, bottlebrush, silver oak, morpankhi, pujja, cherry, harar, kachnaar and more — each chosen to enhance both the ecological and aesthetic value of the campus.

Sanjiv Gandhi, president of the association, emphasised the symbolic and personal nature of the event. “This is a call to all who have walked the halls of the college.” Rakesh Pathania, the principal of the college appealed, “I urge everyone to plant at least one tree — with your own hands and in your name — as a lasting gift to this college and our planet.”

Joined by current students, parents, faculty members and former graduates, the OSA transformed parts of the campus into pockets of green, reflecting a collective sense of pride and responsibility.