August 10, 2019
A nine-year-old girl Elangbam Valentina Devi, has been made
the brand ambassador of Manipur. The state government decided to appoint her
as the ambassador for the Chief Minister’s Green Manipur
Mission, after a video of Valentina weeping over trees being cut
down went viral on social media.
A Class 5 student, Valentina had planted two Gulmohar trees by the
side of a river when she was in Class 1. A student of Amutombi Divine
Life English School, she had been looking after the saplings on a
daily basis and they ahd grown into trees. Last week, the two trees were cut
down for a project to widen a road beside the river.
A video of her crying as she sees the trees she planted as a small child
being cut down went viral on social media. The video has won Valentina much
support on social media.
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who is very active on
social media responded immediately.
She cry for felling down of 2 trees which she planted when she was only in
class 1. We rushed at her place and tried to console her providing more
saplings. Now She will be the State government’s “Green Ambassador”for
C M,s Green Manipur Mission. Let’s follow her, save nature. – N
Biren Singh, Manipur Chief Minister
The state forest department has now planted 20 saplings along the road upon
her request. The youth club in her neighbourhood has also decided to plant
around 1,000 saplings in and around the area to honour her love for trees.
The government has issued an order that all official tree plantation
activities taken up by the state are in recognition of Valentina’s love and
affection for trees and to generate mass awareness on the need to conserve
the environment for one year after the issuing of the order.
A government order also states Valentina will be involved in various
government sponsored plantation programmes. She will be involved in various
government-sponsored plantation programmes including ceremonial plantations,
VIP involved plantations, World Environment Day and Van-Mahotsava. She will
be also part of all such advertisements/campaigns which promote increase in
green cover in Manipur”.
Source: https://newzhook.com/story/9-year-old-valentina-is-manipurs-ambasssador
