Since the last 15 years, I have seen a gradual change in the weather of Dehradun valley. The city that used to be known for its light summers and heavy rains, today witnesses over 45 degree Celsius. The city that had fewer fans now has AC in almost every household.
Due to the lack of trees there has been a drastic change in Dehradun's climate. Not only is there a warmer climate in both summers and winters, there has also been significant reduction in the amount of rainfall that the valley used to receive. With the felling of trees to give way to infrastructural development, the city has also lost its beauty and charm.
The removal of trees without sufficient reforestation has resulted in habitat damage, biodiversity loss and aridity. The increasing global demand for wood products threatens many ancient forests, whether it is for paper products, furniture or fuel. Increasing population has also resulted in high demand of residential land resulting in cutting of more and more trees.

So I decided to preserve the beauty and green cover in Dehradun through my initiative “REVIVING DOON VALLEY” to plant 10,000 trees in 100 drives, increase awareness and restore the rich ecosystem of the city and eventually, the State. Be it the melting glaciers, global warming, erratic weather conditions, polluted natural resources, or continuous soil erosion, I plan to fight these human-made modern challenges with a conscious effort towards environmental restoration.

Sandeep Chauhan
Founder, Flora Saviors