Noida, June 09, 2023: HCL Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of global technology company HCLTech, has extended its partnership with the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) for an additional three years. The collaboration aims to enhance native biodiversity in the eco-sensitive regions of Uttarakhand.
Over the past five years, HCL Foundation and INTACH have made significant strides in this initiative by planting over 13,500 saplings across Chamoli and Almora districts. Among these saplings, over 10,000 Rudraksha saplings, a sacred tree in Hindu culture, have been planted. The remaining 3,500 saplings consist of other associated native species. The plantation has been carried out in 30 acres of community-owned land near Sentuna village in the Gangolgaon region of Gopeshwar, Chamoli district, and Aati village in Almora district.
Through this initiative, approximately 200 local communities, including NSS volunteers, members of Mahila mangal dal, farmers, school children, and others, have actively participated in awareness campaigns, plantation drives, and maintenance efforts.
The biodiversity in the region has seen a remarkable improvement, with various animals, birds, and species finding a suitable habitat in the planted areas. Local communities and field teams have regularly observed mammals like Barking deer and Blue sheep, birds such as Laughing thrush, Grey treepie, and Blue-capped Rock thrush, as well as butterflies like Common sailor and Common banded peacock, and spiders like Giant wood spider.
The renewed partnership aims to amplify the positive impact achieved so far in restoring native biodiversity and habitats in Uttarakhand. HCL Foundation plans to plant an additional 10,000 Rudraksha saplings and other native species in the region by 2026. The organization will also conduct community awareness programs to restore degraded habitats and conserve native biodiversity.
G Asok Kumar, Director General of NMCG, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India, commended HCL Foundation's successful efforts in combating habitat degradation and native biodiversity loss in the region. He stated, "The renewal of the MoU will contribute to India's nationally determined climate change targets while preserving the natural ecology for future generations."
Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, Vice President of Global CSR at HCL Foundation, stressed the importance of collective action in restoring degraded habitats with native biodiversity. She commended the government's dedication to this cause and said, "At HCL Foundation, we have always taken a holistic approach to promote the restoration of natural ecosystems. We strive to support a strong and thriving ecosystem while respecting the rich cultural and religious heritage associated with it by promoting the plantation of native species in the Ganga catchment area. This renewed MoU will play a critical role in engaging local stakeholders in community-based habitat restoration."
The tripartite MoU was signed in New Delhi by G Asok Kumar, Dr. Nidhi Pundhir, and Manu Bhatnagar, Principal Director of the Natural Heritage Division at INTACH. The signing ceremony was attended by esteemed dignitaries from various organizations
