“Strict action is being taken against those indulging in anti-social and anti-national activities. We won’t allow society to break and will pulverise these elements,” said Adityanath.
“We will also protect the health of Mother Earth and preserve her memories,” he added.
The chief minister was in Azamgarh to kickstart the plantation under the state’s ongoing ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative along the expressway near Azamgarh, part of a larger target to plant 60 lakh saplings in the district.
Criticising the past regimes in the state, Adityanath said that before 2017, forest, mining and land mafias had caused large-scale deforestation and environmental degradation across the state.
“Earlier, mafias were involved in illegal logging and mining. Since 2017, we have reversed that trend and launched a green revolution in Uttar Pradesh,” he said.
Adityanath said the double-engine government of the BJP at the Centre and in the state believes in development, not division.
“The people who divide are those who have committed the sin of dividing in the name of region, caste and language and development of the family,” he added.
He attacked the Samajwadi Party without naming it and taunted what kind of people they used to nurture.
“Azamgarh and the youth were facing an identity crisis, but today, when a youth from UP goes anywhere in the country, the name of UP brings a glow on the face of the onlooker. UP has now moved ahead at the pace of development,” he said.
According to the chief minister, forest cover in the state has increased from 9 per cent to 10 per cent over the past eight years.
He praised local MP and Bhojpuri actor-singer Dinesh Lal Yadav ‘Nirahua’ for bringing major infrastructure projects to Azamgarh, including an expressway, Maharaja Suheldev University, and a music college.
He lauded the district administration for its efforts in reviving the mythologically significant Tamsa river.
“This campaign is not just about the present, it’s about securing the future and preserving our heritage,” he said.
He expressed confidence that UP will continue to lead the nation not just in development but also in afforestation and environmental sustainability, in alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision.
In the plantation drive going on in the state, the government has set a target of planting a record 37 crore saplings. PTI ABN APL ABN APL KSS KSS
