Guwahati: The Territorial Army (TA), a military reserve force that provides critical operational and logistical support o the Indian Armed Forces and civilian authorities during natural calamities, and national and regional emergencies, marks its platinum jubilee this year.
In continuation to the celebrations, the 134 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army) Ecological, Assam, also known as the 134 Ecological Task Force (ETF), organised a awareness programme and mass plantation drives in the run up to the Independence Day 2024 celebrations, as per a Defence press statement.
The event took place at the Tezpur Military Station in Assam’s Sonitpur district on Saturday (August 3). The 134 ETF, established in 2007 in Sonitpur, was formed to combat rampant deforestation and restore the region’s fragile ecological balance, it said.
Since its inception, it has played a crucial role in environmental conservation in the Sonitpur and Biswanath districts of Assam, it added.
To commemorate the platinum jubilee, the 134 ETF conducted a large-scale plantation drive, planting fruit-bearing and shade-giving trees at the Tezpur Military Station in conjunction with the military personnel and their families, it said.
The initiative saw enthusiastic participation from the gallant Army personnel, their families, and children, who joined hands to enhance the green cover of their communities, it added.
During the event, the ETF personnel engaged with military personnel and their families, emphasising the importance of protecting the ecosystem, it said.
They highlighted that the success of any ecological mission depends on the active and wholehearted involvement of every member of the society, it added.
This mass plantation drive is in continuation of a series of events planned throughout the platinum jubilee to promote environmental awareness and sustainability, it said.
The 134 ETF remains committed to its mission of ecological restoration and community engagement, embodying the spirit of the Territorial Army’s dedication to national service and environmental stewardship, the statement further said.