Maharashtra has issued a policy to replicate the tree plantation model that Popat Shinde from Raanmala village worked tirelessly for 25 years to success
If you walk into Raanmala village in Khed taluka near Pune, the large number of trees in the area will surely grab your attention. You may be even more surprised to see that every tree has a name on it, and is tagged with the memory associated with it.
The credit goes to Popat Shinde, a retired Zilla Parishad (ZP) teacher who took up the cause of greening the village, which is about 50 km from Pune.
“I started working as a ZP teacher when I was 18 years old. After completing 25 years of service in 1996, I took voluntary retirement to take up social causes,” says Popat.
“It was my partner, also a ZP teacher, who suggested that I take voluntary retirement and dedicate myself to social work. She assured me that our…