Over 1,500 trees planted at Kamptee military centre

Kamptee, Maharashtra: The Brigade of the Guards Regimental Centre (GRC) has taken another big step to increase greenery on its campus. A large-scale tree plantation drive was held here in support of the Indian Army's Go Green campaign and the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam initiative.

The Levelers Foundation team played a key role in the initiative. Led by architect Samruddhi S. Chaphale, the team successfully carried out every stage of the drive, from selecting and supplying the saplings to planting them, and planted a total of 1,550 trees. The GRC team, families at GRC, volunteers and members of the Levelers Foundation together planned the drive over several weeks. This inspired collective participation towards creating a green, healthy and sustainable environment, and contributed to environmental conservation and wellbeing for soldiers, their families and the surrounding community.

Architect Samruddhi S. Chaphale, founder and director of the Levelers Foundation, said the opportunity to contribute to this environmental initiative at the Brigade of the Guards Regimental Centre held special significance for the organisation. She said there was a close parallel between the Indian Army's emphasis on environmental conservation and the foundation's work of preserving urban ecosystems and increasing greenery.

The final list for the GRC Kamptee project had a total of 1,550 saplings, including flowering trees, fruit trees and ornamental plants. These included 200 kaner (oleander), 150 madhukamini, 100 mango, 100 jamun, 100 guava, 100 mosambi, 100 jackfruit and 100 mini ixora trees. In addition, ashoka, tecoma, kashmiri rose, bamboo, chikoo, water apple, ramphal, setu, bakul, terminalia mettalica, bahava (cassia fistula), tabebuia rosea, spathodea, caesalpinia, betel nut palm, Christmas tree, vidya or morpankhi and song of India varieties were also planted at various spots on the campus.

The plantation drive required close coordination between the Levelers Foundation team and the GRC team. Initially, a site survey was carried out to identify suitable spots for planting, after which the marking and digging of large, quality pits, the selection and purchase of saplings taller than six feet, and maintenance planning including watering were carried out. All these stages were completed in the run-up to the final drive, and it was this coordination that made the project a success.

With this plantation at GRC Kamptee, the total number of trees planted by the Levelers Foundation so far has reached about 2,000. This has further expanded the foundation's ongoing environmental initiatives. The newly planted trees and saplings will help the long-term greening of the GRC campus and support the Indian Army's broader commitment to the environment. The drive also underlined the value of cooperation between the army and civil social organisations, creating a green space that will benefit the campus and its ecosystem for years to come.

The Levelers Foundation team is in talks with the GRC team on future projects aimed at sustained, long-term environmental impact. Shri Baba Deshpande, known as the Tree Man of Nagpur, was also present at the event. He has planted more than 12,000 trees in the city since the 1970s. His long-standing work and guidance in tree plantation have been an inspiration for the foundation's environmental initiatives.

The Levelers Foundation thanked the GRC team for its guidance and cooperation during the planning and execution of the project. For architect Samruddhi Chaphale, the occasion also carried a personal connection to the Indian Army. Her grandfather, the late Shri Chintamanrao Sitaram Chaphale, served in the Indian Army's Special Forces. She dedicated her contribution to the plantation drive to her grandfather's memory, saying the opportunity to work at a military establishment held special meaning for her.