HCL Foundation signs MoU with NMCG for afforestation of native plants

HCL Foundation, the CSR arm of HCL Technologies, yesterday signed a Tri-party MoU with NMCG (National Mission for Clean Ganga) under the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India and INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) to scale up the Afforestation movement of native species like Oak, Rudraksh etc. in the presence of Shri Rajiv Ranjan Mishra, Director General, NMCG, Shri Rozy Agarwal, Executive Director, Finance, NMCG, Ms. Nidhi Pundhir, Director, HCL Foundation, Shri Manu Bhatnagar, Principal Director, INTACH.

The overall objective is to plant 10,000 trees during the course of five years 2018-2023 with a high survival rate through community participation. The program is being implemented in partnership with Government of India’s National Mission on Clean Ganga and through its NGO partner Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).

HCL Foundation, through this MoU not only support raising these plantations but also like to move towards conservation of these patches with active support from local stakeholders.

Said Nidhi Pundhir, Director- CSR Head– HCL Foundation: “Our partnership is going to be very crucial for the Eco system of mid Himalayan range of Uttarakhand, where the Ganges takes shape. It is therefore very important to spread awareness about environmental conservation and the importance of native plants in this region which is surrounded by many Ganga tributaries. HCL Foundation has been working towards mass afforestation as we have already planted more than 500 saplings in Chamoli district this year. The Afforestation drive along the rivers Hindon and Yamuna has been key factor to the Clean Ganga project as these are two very important tributaries of river Ganga.”