Anandpur Sahib, June 3, 2024 — In the historic town of Anandpur Sahib, known for its rich cultural heritage, a new chapter of environmental consciousness was written during the Lok Sabha elections. The “Green Elections” initiative, spearheaded by General Election Observer Dr. Heera Lal, alongside Police Observer Sandeep Gajanan Dewan and Expenditure Monitor Shilpi Sinha, transformed the electoral process into a model of eco-friendly practices.
Gathering of Minds for a Green Future
On a bright morning on May 17th, officials from the Anandpur Sahib constituency gathered in Mohali. The assembly included District Election Officers, SSPs, Assistant Returning Officers, and other key officials. Dr. Heera Lal outlined his vision to minimize the carbon footprint during elections, emphasizing the reduction of single-use plastics and maintaining cleanliness. His plan was ambitious yet straightforward: train polling staff to avoid plastic and uphold cleanliness, and distribute saplings to every voter as a pledge to a greener future.
Planting the Seeds of Change
The initiative was more than symbolic. Each sapling given to voters represented a commitment to environmental sustainability. Dr. Heera Lal explained that these saplings would serve as living reminders of voters’ participation in the democratic process, nurturing both democracy and nature.
A Call to Action and Celebration of Democracy
As election day approached, enthusiasm grew. Dr. Heera Lal, known for boosting voter turnout, aimed to encourage even higher participation. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) like Jaswinder Singh from Garhshankar, who had previously achieved impressive turnout rates, were celebrated and inspired others.
On election day, Anandpur Sahib was vibrant with activity. Polling booths were adorned with green banners, and the message was clear: “Green Election 2024 – Say No to Plastic, Plant More Trees.” Voters left polling stations with saplings, becoming part of a larger movement towards sustainability.
Outcomes of the Green Election Campaign
The systematic and successful implementation of the Green Election-2024 campaign led to an increase in average voting percentage by 1.8 percent in three assembly constituencies of Rupnagar district. The assembly constituency of S.A.S Nagar recorded a 0.06 percent increase in voting. Despite a general decline in voter turnout in other areas, the aggressive SVEEP (Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation) activities of the Green Election campaign helped boost voting percentages by 3-5 percent.
Impressive Voting Statistics
In 2019, Sawamipur Booth in the Anandpur Sahib assembly constituency had a voting percentage of 80.72 percent. In 2024, six booths in the same constituency exceeded this figure, with Manguwal Booth-233 achieving an impressive 89.5 percent. Additionally, 38 out of 173 model booths saw an average increase of 8.46 percent in voting, with the highest polling percentage rising from 77.89 percent in 2019 to 89.3 percent in 2024, an increase of 11.61 percent.
The number of booths with high voting percentages (80-90 percent) increased from seven in 2019 to twenty in 2024, and the number of booths in the 70-80 percent range rose from 223 to 297, demonstrating the campaign’s impact.
Environmental Impact
During the campaign, around 47,266 plants were distributed, and 7,753 plants were planted between May 17 and June 1, 2024. On June 1 alone, 11,460 plants were handed out at specially designed green booths. Various awareness activities, such as marathons, walks, cycling events, debates, and cultural programs, were organized to promote voting and environmental conservation.
A Model for Future Elections
Dr. Heera Lal emphasized the importance of voting and tree planting in the face of climate change. The Green Election campaign has become a model for other parliamentary and assembly constituencies in India, potentially mitigating climate change effects and securing a sustainable future.
If successfully emulated in upcoming state assembly elections, this green model of elections could drastically reduce environmental impact and save the future of our planet.
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