🌳✨ The Tale of Shera’s Grove: When Selfies Couldn’t Save the Trees 📸🐾

Once upon a time in the lush kingdom of Haritapur, all animals lived in harmony beneath giant mango trees 🍃. This kingdom was ruled by wise old Shera the Bear, who cherished every leaf and branch. His motto? “A tree lost today is a breath stolen tomorrow!” 🌳

One day, Chiku the Chameleon, the kingdom’s eager young scribe, heard whispers that a mysterious group called the Shiny Stone Society planned to build a grand highway through the heart of Shera’s mango grove. 🚧 Their leader, Mukha the Monkey, claimed this highway would bring “progress” and “glory,” but at a steep cost: hundreds of trees would be chopped down!

Chiku, alarmed, ran to Shera in a whirlwind:

“Sheraji, they want to chop our trees for stones and cement! What will happen to our shade? Our birds? Our breaths?”

Shera frowned, stroking his white beard. “We must act with wisdom. Hurry, fetch Pihu the Parrot and Ramu the Rabbit—they can gather a protest.”

Soon, animals big and small assembled under the largest mango tree. 🐾 Mukha arrived with his gang: flashy Foxes in suits, Peacocks with neon ties, and others claiming the highway would provide “jobs, tours, and new cafes.”

Ramu hopped forward. “But what about our groves? Our homes? Our water and songs?”

Mukha waved his banana-fresh tie. “Don’t worry! We’ll plant two saplings for each tree felled!”

The animals looked unconvinced. Mukha continued, “And we’ll snap selfies every quarter, showing we care!”

Chiku peered skeptically. “But who will water them? Who will guard them? A selfie doesn’t forest make.”

Shera calmly spoke: “Promises are empty until proven. We seek real roots and real care.” 🌱

A great debate then raged, full of witty banter and humorous jabs: Peacocks flaunted feather-growth analogies, the foxes countered with statistics on “moon-jobs,” and Mukha danced with charm—until one sharp-peaked parrot, Pihu, asked:

“What if the transplanted sapling dies within a week? Will you still smile for the camera?”

Mukha stammered—there was no answer.

That night, Chiku, Ramu, and Pihu snuck into the grove. They planted signs: “Count us in years, not selfies!” and “Our roots go deep.” The next morning, Mukha’s crew awoke to the entire grove decorated in protest art.

By midday, villagers from nearby Barkpur hamlet, including elder Dadi Goat and school-kid Guddu Frog, arrived to back the cause. They shared stories of past groves that vanished and was never returned.

Mukha wavered but still flexed his ties. Then Shera proposed a challenge: “You can build your highway—but only after planting a mini-forest first, nurtured by you for five years.”

Stumped, Mukha hesitated. Behind him, Foxes in suits whispered, “Maybe a little grove isn’t such a bad look for your resume.”

After much comedic tension—Peacocks strutted, rabbits hopped in circles, Parrots squawked slogans—Mukha sighed dramatically. “Fine. We’ll plant the mini-forest first!”

Cheers erupted! 🎉 The animals broke into song, Shera roared approval, villagers hugged, and even Mukha cracked a reluctant smile.

Five joyful years later, the Harita Mini-Forest thrived—lush, shady, diverse. Mukha helped water the trees, villagers held picnics, and Shera smiled, declaring, “Now we truly earned our highway.”

And when the day came to chop the first tree for the road, the animals didn't oppose—it was a single sapling growing beside the highway, tended lovingly and ready to stand guard for decades.

🧠 Moral of the Tale:

• True environmental care isn’t just about words or selfies—it’s about real, long-term action.

• Promises must be rooted in follow-through, not just flash. 📸

• Community involvement is powerful—when voices unite, even flashy progress must listen.

Real-World Parallels:

This story satirically reflects recent events in India where activists halted infrastructure expansion over inadequate compensatory plantation — echoing Mysuru’s road widening protest after 40 trees were felled with little assurance of new saplings.It also recalls Delhi High Court’s directives to rework SOPs around tree cutting and planting coverage.

📚 News Referenced & Message:

What it's based on:

• Mysuru activists stopping road widening due to missing plantation guarantees

• Delhi HC's new SOP for tree felling requiring pre-planning, affidavit, tall compensatory trees, and maintenance tracking.

Core message: Sustainable development needs more than promises—it demands proper planning, community consent, and real action. Trees aren’t just tokens—they’re our lungs, heritage, and home.