Youth Connect

		Trees save girls life There are hundreds of ideas that I have read and heard about saving environment but this is an interesting one which I read on www.bbc.co.uk. Plant trees whenever a girl child is born and fight against dowry, global warming and female foeticide, suggests the villagers of Dharhara, Bhagalpur district. This small village in Bhagalpur has set a very good example to show that where there is will there is a way. In India, traditionally boy is preferred over girls but in this village, trees are planted to celebrate the birth of a girl child. The villagers have stopped doing traditional farming of wheat and paddy and plant as many trees as possible. They save a part of the money earned through the sale of fruits every year in a bank account opened in their daughter's name. Dowry is a great problem in the state of Bihar and by taking this step the villagers are not only proving that a girl is no more a burden but also creatively protecting the environment. Nikah Kumari’s family had planted 10 mango trees the day she was born and she has been married to a school teacher in early June from the money her parents got by selling the fruits of the trees they planted. "The trees are our fixed deposits," said Nikah’s father. Not only Nikah’s parents but many parents of the Dharhara village of Bhagalpur have been released from undue worries and by doing this have also made their contribution towards making the environment green. The village's oldest resident, Shatrughan Prasad Singh, 86, has planted around 500 mango and lychee trees in his 25 acres of land. His grand-daughters, Nishi and Ruchi, are confident the trees mean their family will have no problem paying for their weddings. With a population of a little over 7,000, the village has more than 100,000 fully grown trees, mostly of mango and lychee and from a distance looks like a forest or a dense green patch. If we all try and make small efforts like this, I am sure we will be able to protect our earth as well as solve the various problems existing in our society. "The whole world should emulate us and plant more trees," says Prabhu Dayal Singh.

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