They say that youth is insane. Perhaps that’s why they are the harbingers of change. A youth-led initiative has blossomed in the heart of Bandra as Mumbai’s Air Quality Index (AQI) dipped to a concerning ‘poor’ category last week. In a bid to promote environmental well-being, residents joined hands to spearhead a plantation drive on the Carter Road Promenade.

Starting out with phase 1 of the drive, 53 saplings were planted at the seashore alongside Bandra Bay. Saakshi Teckchandani (23), founder of Planet for Plants and Animals (PPAIndia), organised ‘Vriksharopan’ – the tree-planting campaign along with Trivankumar Karnani, 120 students from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies and the Rotary Club of Bandra. A recurring drive, it saw wide participation from not just youth but senior citizens as well.