Free Fruit Plant Distribution by CAB.

FRANCIS SUNIL ROSARIO

Kolkata: At the initiative of CAB President, Mrs. Angelina Mantosh Jasnani, a free plant distribution was organized to visit North 24 Parganas Deanery on Aug 13 among the beneficiaries of this project were Sisters of Charity, Gerosa /Oasis Convent, Barasat, Providence sisters, Missionaries of Charity, Green Park, John Mary Vianney Minor Seminary, Novitiate, Daughters of the Cross, (FC) and Proggaloy, Diocesan Pastoral and Development Centre. Collaborating with the Forest Department, West Bengal, the honourable Minister of disaster Janab Jawed Khan, the Police, the CAB President took this initiative to visit the centers to distribute 1500 plants free of cost. Distributing free fruit plants was to cooperate with the concerned departments towards protecting environment and promoting Green revolution. After distributing hundreds of such fruit plants, there are still in the stock.

Before these get over, the institutions interested may contact the CAB office in Kolkata. Due to Super cyclone Amphan (May 20), West Bengal suffered colossal damages. Many fruit trees and vegetation were uprooted. The poor and the marginalized suffered the most. Some drastic changes in India’s environmental policies recently goes against environmental concerns in favor of profit by the corporate sectors, devaluing and even destroying the lives of million of Indians. The natural disasters are not under our control, however the roots of our collective failure to be stewards of creation is due to some destructive policies implemented at the cost of the most vulnerable in society becomes our matter of deep concern. 

The encyclical of Holy Father, Pope Francis, ‘Laudato Si’ is a call to address the fragile ecosystems that are deeply encroached, polluted and destroyed. Distribution of free plants is to find a set of solutions to environmental problems caused by some natural environmental disasters. This encyclical also calls all humanity towards a Free Fruit Plant Distribution by CAB, Kolkata spirituality and spiritual tradition, and to educate people in regard to proper treatment of the environment. Due to lockdown, such input sessions could not be organized for the children, to conscientize them and to teach them the ways to protect environment and  God’s creation, project like, ‘plant a tree and nurture that’. One of the concerns of Holy Father Pope Francis is to protect God’s creation and our environment. His encyclical ‘Laudato Si’, speaks thus, “…our common home is falling into serious disrepair” and “the Gospel of Creation,” explains why this should be of concern not only to Catholics but to all humanity by considering our place in creation. The encyclical highlights, some of the environmental problems specific to our day and how they impact especially the poor: pollution, climate change, scarcity of drinking water, loss of biodiversity, and human isolation from nature. 

Creation belongs to God who entrusts it to us to have a dominion over it; this involves cultivating the earth to satisfy human needs and keeping the earth by protecting and preserving it, both because of the inherent goodness of the creatures it contains and because these diverse creatures give glory to God and lead us to knowledge of God. Contrary to what some environmentalists maintain, human beings are not just one species among others, but rather the existence of each individual human “presupposes a direct action of God and a particular call to life” (par. 81). May the initiative of CAB bear much fruits in their creative action towards protecting environment and God’ s creation. This will help this oldest Lay association to reach out to those living in the margins of our society. They are the beloved of God and CAB can do wonders to help them to gain dignity and life.