After UN speech, Lucknow girl to go green

LUCKNOW - While most children of her age look forward to playing with friends in summer vacation, 13-year-old Yugratna Srivastava, who made history by delivering a speech at a United Nations summit last year, has plans to green the city.

Srivastava, who appeared for Class 9 exam this year, will plant saplings in different neighbourhoods of Uttar Pradesh’s capital.

“I always wanted to do something constructive during summer vacation therefore I decided to launch a plantation drive,” Srivastava, a student of Saint Fidelis College here, told IANS over phone Saturday.

“I will try to rope in my friends and children of other neighbourhoods for the drive. I will also approach elders for joining the campaign,” said Srivastava, whose father teaches botany in a government college.

At present, she is busy identifying the areas where the saplings will be planted, starting third week of May.

“We will mainly plant saplings in schools, parks or other public places,” she added.

On who would bear the cost of the saplings, Srivastava said: “I will approach the state forest department. I am sure they will help me.”

“I may also seek assistance from non-government organisations (NGOs) or corporates,” she said.

According to Srivastava, whose summer vacation started Saturday and will last till July 5, the campaign is likely to begin after the final exam results are announced later this month.

Srivastava had addressed the United Nations Climate Change Summit in New York last September where she was applauded by world leaders.