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Before the First Leaf Fell
Anandpur Sahib’s 2024 Lok Sabha election was more than a democratic exercise, it was a pulse check on our planet’s health. In a context where single-use plastic and carbon footprints often go hand in hand with voting, the air was thick with routine. Democracy echoed, but Earth was still waiting for its voice to be heard.
When Democracy Turned Green
Enter Dr. Heera Lal, the visionary observer who rewrote the rules of polling. Green Booths sprouted across 2,068 polling stations, where voters—first-timers, seniors, and persons with disabilities, left not just
with inked fingers but saplings: 47,266 of them. Trees replaced plastic paraphernalia; waste bins were reimagined as segregated recycling hubs; training, dispatch, and EVM logistics followed strict anti-plastic, low-carbon guidelines. Campaigns unfolded with marathons, tree-planting pledges, and digital nudges, all anchored in a radical ethos: Vote, and leave the planet better.
Leaves of Change
The result? Anandpur Sahib defied voter-fatigue with turnout bumps, as high as 89.5% at Manguwal booth, even while other seats in Punjab saw dips. Yet beyond numbers, what endured was a cultural shake-up: voters walked out planting life, instead of trash. In turning a polling day into an act of planetary hope, Anandpur Sahib didn’t just vote, it verdantly volunteered for Earth’s future.
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