Dehradun, As the news of the passing away of Tree Man of India Vishweshwar Dutt Saklani spread like wildfire, condolences started pouring in from far and wide. By planting and fondly nurturing more than fifty lakh trees, Vishweshwar Dutt Saklani, a small-time farmer, single-handedly regenerated once-barren land in and around Pujargaon, his remote Garhwal village about 50 kilometres from Dehra Dun.
Saklani began planting trees in 1948 after he lost his brother. Grief-stricken, Saklani used to roam the hills to seek solace. It was during this dark period that he decided to create a befitting memorial for his dearly departed and heal himself in the process.
Planting acorns on a barren patch near his house, Saklani gradually moved further afield. And over the last seventy years Saklani covered over 100 hectares of land with oak,rhododendron, cedar and walnut trees.
Saklani’s labour of love not only made him a more serene man, it brought life back in its myriad forms to his area. Hillsides, once denuded by indiscriminate timber-felling and quarrying became lush green. Thanks to the trees having taken firm roots, the soil of terraced fields stabilized and once-dry streams began to flow again. The villagers traditional sources of fodder and fuel were restored, with flora and fauna returned in abundance.
In recognition of his achievements, the government gave Saklani the prestigious Indira Priyadarshini Vrikshamitra Award in 1986 and won him the title of Tree Man. Saklani’s zeal to plant trees on every barren patch of land earlier brought him in conflict with uncomprehending villagers and officious bureaucrats. But his transparent sincerity and the benefits of his work gradually won people over, inspiring other individuals and organizations in the region to take up their own tree-planting programmes.
For Saklani, a lot remained to be done. Speaking to us a few years back the Tree Man asserted, `If you don’t cover the land with trees,’ he warned, `the soil will be washed away and then there will be no more land left — for you, me, or anyone.’
Today the Tree Man lives on in beloved forest, inspiring generations to come.
Born: 2nd June 1922-Death: 18th January 2019
