A group of Jharia residents led by a speech therapist and special educator for physically-challenged children, Akhlaque Ahmad, launched a month-long plantation drive at Katras More from Saturday.

The one-and-a-half drive was launched at the More, one of the most polluted localities of Dhanbad, and later spread out to different colliery areas, to plant over 1,100 saplings.

It began with the plantation of 20 mango, neem and Gulmohar saplings at Katras More from 9.30am.

Ahmad told The Telegraph Online, “We have planted saplings on the roadside and beside residences and business establishments of people known to us. We placed iron-wire fencing to protect the plants. Sign boards were put up naming the persons who would be the patrons of the plants and ensure their safety.”

“The drive will continue for at least a month as monsoon is the most conducive season for plantation,” said Ahmad.

He added that they would join hands with other organisations for the plantation drive.

They have already planted over 100 saplings in association with the members of Janta Mazdoor Sangh, a traders’ union founded by former Jharia MLA Surya Deo, on the eve of his death anniversary on Monday.

“The Covid pandemic is a glaring example of ill effects of excesses carried out on nature and we must learn lessons from the same. Mother earth was quite relieved during the lockdown with the lack of emission from industries and vehicles,” he said.

He said Jharia needs plantations as it had been ranked as “worst polluted” by Greenpeace India among 287 cities and towns across the country.

“We took up the plantation drive on our own. The Dhanbad Municipal Corporation, forest department and BCCL, which were entrusted with the task of carrying out plantations and other steps like installation of static sprinklers and installation of continuous ambient air quality monitoring station and purchase of dust-sweeping machines, failed to initiate their plans on the ground,” said Ahmad.