LUCKNOW: On the fourth day of
centenary celebrations, hundred saplings of ‘Palash’ were planted on the second campus of
Lucknow University on Sunday.
Donated by the forest department to LU for centenary year, the
plantation drive was initiated by vice chancellor Prof Alok Kumar Rai who planted the saplings in front of the Human Resource Development Centre.
Students of ‘Prakriti’, the nature wing, of zoology department student club (Vitals), along with former students then completed the drive.
“It will be the responsibility of students to make sure that these saplings flourish into full grown trees so that everyone on the campus can reap the economic and medicinal benefits of Palash trees,” said Geetanjali Mishra, associate professor, department of zoology.
Ajay Varshney, an alumnus of 1999 batch and now a manager in a private firm, said: “The lawns were a very important part of our college days, as this is where we used to discuss everything from politics to emotions, hence it is our moral responsibility to make sure that the campus is always vibrant, clean and green.”
Priyam Gambhir, another alumnus from 2005 batch of said: “As we walk through the campus, it’s evident that the lawns are perfectly manicured, much more than they were a decade ago and I’ve also been told that students don’t have the permission to few campus lawns where we spent some of our best times.”
Palash or Tesu or Butea monosperma is the state plant of Uttar Pradesh and is known for its beautiful ochre red flowers that bloom around Holi festival.