Since 2003, Par yavaran Mitra has initiated environmental protection in the Hind Lamps factory located at Shikohabad, Uttar Pradesh. It was decided to turn unusable and unoccupied land into a green haven.Paryavaran Mitra had to make arrangements for basic resources such as land, electricity, water, security and internal administration. With the cooperation of workers of the institution and volunteers of Paryavaran Mitra, this challenge was accepted.

The initial work involved cleaning, weeding, digging small plots of land. Soon Project ‘Small Forest’ was born. Under this, task of tree plantation was carried out on a larger scale. Different species of plants, flower plants, vines etc were planted, which are known to reduce land erosion, help and and water conservation as well as provide wood. The few forests that were born were Om Van, Kamalnayan Kanan, Chandi Prasad Udyan, Jankidevi Amla Vatika, Purushottam Lalaa Vipin, Madalasa Jivan Kutir, Major Sandip Udyan, Radha Nikunj, Sunder Van and Harit Pattika.These contain 5500 plants and 35 species. While Peepal, Bel, Banyan, Amla and Ashoka trees are grown in one forest, the others have Karanj, Shisham, Mango, Tamarind, Sagwan, Moulshree, Jamun, Guava, Chitvan, Amaltash, Haran, Nahena, Palm, Lemon, Jackfruit, Goolar, Bottle Brush, Silver Oak, Haarsingar, Gulmohar, Chandani, Gudhal, Basil, Mahua, Ritha…the list is endless. Paryavaran Mitra has carried out successful experiments through forestry management on three acre of Hind Lamps Land (Kosi, Mathura) and 2 acres of Bajaj Electricals land in Ranjangaon.

The institution has established its Forest Nursery to enable effective tree plantation around the villages, schools, hospitals, temples, ashrams. Here Arjun, Mango, Guava, Kher, Karanj, Kachnar, Ashok, Jackfruit etc plants are being cultivated. 8000 plants have been cultivated so far.

So within a span of seven to eight years, an amazing amount of work was done in more than 50 villages and schools around Shikohabad.

Along with the growth of the forests, number of different species of birds, butterflies, small insects also increased and this provided for seasonal migration and nestling of birds and insects. The temperature of the complex got lowered by two degree Celsius. Paryavaran Mitra trusts and firmly believes that, if public and private establishments carry out small but successful experiments on their unusable lands, the threat of environment pollution can be a story of the past.

What made this happen? What converted a waste land into a paradise? Positive thinking, contemplation, and dedication towards nature and the country. Paryavaran Mitra appeals to the governmental, non-governmental and small and large private organisations to – “successfully contribute in the prevention of air, water, noise and land pollution in their respective organisations in this Yagna of protection of nature.”