Mangaluru, Aug 10: Under the guidance and encouragement of Fr Anil D'Mello, parish priest of Neermarga parish, vanamahotsava was celebrated on August 9 with great enthusiasm and vigour by the ICYM and YCS representatives of the parish.

Youth an important role in spreading the message of conservation. They along with the parish priest, Ravi Saldanha, vice-president of the parish pastoral council, Prakash Pereira, secretary and members of the parish pastoral council, animators of ICYM and YCS, Sisters of Holy Cross Convent involved themselves in the celebration by planting saplings in two places namely Holy Cross School Campus and Adyar Padav while the celebration was a grow green enterprise that reinforced the bond between plants and humans.

At Adyar Padav different types of medicinal plants and on the campus of Holy Cross School, fruit-bearing plants were planted. Fr Anil D Mello made it very special by invoking God’s blessings and good wishes on the ‘planters and the plants’.

A nourishing breakfast was sponsored by Ravi Saldanha, vice-president of PPC and YCS animator, Pawan Pinto, ICYM president proposed the vote of thanks. Indeed the programme received an overwhelming response with every member motivated to do something good for mother earth.