India was passing through its worst times in the second wave of Covid one year back. It was the time when dead bodies were in queue at crematoriums with as much as 8 hours to perform the last rites. An NGO, Sadbhavna Trust, based in Gujarat had set up a special Covid crematorium during those days on the outskirts of Rajkot city to ease the woes of the relatives of the deceased. Now, that this place will become an oxygen park and vegetables grown there would be served in the dinner plates of many.
According to Vijay Dobariya, President, Sadbhavna Trust, "450 Covid-affected bodies were cremated at this place in April last at an average of 20 bodies per day. Thousands of people who lost their dear ones used to line up here. Many of them could not even see the body closely due to the fear of infection. These relatives stand at a distance as the member of trust performed the last rites. However, after the Covid wave was over, the cremation of bodies was discontinued here. We decided to do something meaningful with the place in the memory of departed souls. Last August we planted a total of 7,575 Peepal trees on this land. Today the trees have grown substantially and the place has become beautiful. Within three years this place will become an Oxygen Park with thousands of Peepal trees."
According to retired DFO Chunibhai Varsani who is handling this 'Peepal Van' project, "after we started planting trees, we found that the land was rocky. Finally with the help of JCBs and drilling machines, the plantation became possible. Total Rs 15 million were spent on planting these trees. IICMA (Indian Investment Casting Manufacturers Association) was kind enough to support the project with a donation of Rs 5 million. Currently, Sadbhavna Trust spends Rs 1to 1.2 million every month towards watering and maintenance of these trees."
In fact, under Varsani's guidance, vegetables and fruits have also been planted on this land. The land where the last rites were performed is generating organic vegetables and fruits and are eagerly eaten by people. The trust does not sell them but distributes them to all its workers and other needy people.
According to Varsani, "Peepal trees are expected to have an age of over a thousand years and scientifically they are one of the very few plants that exhale oxygen 24 hours a day. In fact, in Bhagwat Geeta God has said that 'in all the trees, I am Peepal'. Hence, we decided to plant Peepal at this place. Since it is the 75th year of independence, we planted 7,575 trees. The trees are expected to grow fully after 4-6 months. Located near Rajkot's Nyari Dam it will become an important tourist place of Rajkot."
