Imam Abdullahis Safi of the Ahle Hadiz Jamat in Murshidabad's Gangapur has embarked on a green mission to make villagers understand the need to plant trees in a bid to combat climate change.

Safi is the imam of a village with 1,200 households, mostly from the minority community.

The Ahle Hadiz Jamat has set up a village committee with the imam at the helm. Under his leadership, committee secretary Safikur Rahaman and treasurer Motiul Haque have begun the plantation drive as they believe it would help ensure more rainfall and cool the area.

The initiative, however, is an exercise in involving villagers rather than an act of imposition. The trio of Safi, Rahaman and Haque have been visiting each home to understand the specific plant preference of each family.

"As part of this plantation drive, the committee has already distributed two saplings each — one of a fruit plant and one hardwood — to 700 families on August 26," said a villager.

Asked what made a religious leader like him launch a green mission, Safi said: “The world is getting warmer and we are paying the price for rampant urbanisation that has led to the felling of trees. To increase greenery in our area, we are distributing saplings in consultation with each family. So far, we have handed over 1,400 plants."

The job of Safi and his team does not end with the distribution of plants. They visit the 700 households to see if the owners are taking proper care of the saplings.

"People are becoming aware of the need to plant trees. But the responsibility doesn't end with planting the saplings. We pay regular visits to ensure that the plants are doing well,” Safi said, adding that the families were indeed taking good care of the plants.

The trio has spent Rs 50,000 so far to buy the saplings from a local nursery. The money was raised through crowdfunding.

Haque added: "We made the mission inclusive because without it no effort can succeed. Responding to our appeal, employed youths of our village came forward with money. The funds helped us buy the saplings that we have so far distributed to 700 homes in Gangapur under Beldanga police station area."

Appreciating the initiative, Pasupati Mondal, a villager who also got saplings, said: “Members of the committee visited us to ask which plants we liked. I chose mahogany and mango saplings and received them. I planted those on August 26. My family is watering the plants and taking good care of them. I am genuinely happy with this effort in our village.”

The committee intends to cover the entire village, including the graveyard, with trees. Haque, the committee's cashier, said that as Rs 1 lakh was raised from crowdfunding, the plantation's second phase would be held on September 9.

“In all, we have resolved to plant 2,500 trees under this drive," he said, adding 1,100 saplings would be distributed next.