Daler Mehndi Green Drive

The Daler Mehndi Green Drive (DM Green Drive) project came into being on May 1998. Ever since its inception, it has worked towards fulfilling its objectives. The intent was to create not only to grow a specific number of trees, but also to create awareness amongst the largesse. To create a clean environment around us resulting in a cleaner and healthier world for us, as well as the future generation. ^[1]

History

“The rising pollution levels in the city (New Delhi) upset me. I feared Delhiites would succumb to cancer from pollution, if we did not do something about it. It had scared me to see the way in which people had died in Surat due to plague. I didn’t want there to be a cancer patient in every house in Delhi, as was bound to happen, if we continued polluting our city, at this rate. That is why I decided to do something about it myself, instead of waiting for the Government to do something,”

Delhi has been rated as the second most polluted city in the world. Daler Mehndi, the mind behind the Green Drive advocates pure and clean living both without i.e. the environment and within i.e. the soul. His intense dislike for pollutants and addictions of any kind induced him to start the Green Drive movement. Using his position for humanitarian causes has been on his priority list. The Daler Mehndi Green Drive (DM Green Drive) project is the first of its kind that aims at making Delhi and eventually India greener, and the environment less barren and polluted.

Speaking on the same Daler Mehndi, said, "In an endeavor to a cleaner greener world, it is time for each individual to come forward and contribute to the environment in his own capacity, even if it means planting just a tree each. The road that we travel is long, but with hands joined together, the destination can be pulled nearer and within reach. We don't need to wait for tomorrow. It is my sincere appeal to all of you to make this dream a reality."^[2]

Initiatives

Daler Mehndi at Yamuna for the Daler Mehndi Green Drive- Clean Yamuna Project

Besides the DM Green Drive’s efforts, a large number of schools & welfare organizations of localities have come forth and shown tremendous enthusiasm and response towards the project. This visionary ultimately wants the Green Drive to become a people’s movement; spreading far and wide throughout the width and breadth of India. For each individual to come forward and contribute to the environment in his individual capacity, even if it means planting and maintaining ONE tree. The day is not far when it would become a peoples’ movement with each person being actively involved in the movement.

The whole Drive so far is funded single-handedly by Daler Mehndi. As the funds required for the Drive is enormous, Daler Mehndi has invited the support of people and organizations to share the responsibility of the Green Drive.

In the meantime, the Daler Mehndi Green Drive is making strides unconditionally. Devoting its energies in fulfilling his vision and like a conqueror, this virtuoso who redefined the concept of popular music shall once again leave a trail of clean melody with a green message!

References