CHANDIGARH: In order to bring the commitment of the Chief Minister Mr. Bhagwant Mann to increase the forest cover in State and create a healthy environment, to fruition the Forest Minister Mr. Lal Chand Kataruchak today presided over a meeting with the officers of the Forest Department at the Forest complex in Sector 68 (Mohali).
Chairing the meeting, the Minister said that the entire department should work as a team with full dedication to achieve the abovesaid objective. He further said that special attention must be devoted to the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Haryaval Lehar which is a significant initiative of the Punjab Government as it would prove to be a major milestone in saving the environment as well as according a greener look to the State. As far as the Mattewara forest is concerned, it serves as the lungs of Ludhiana city and that is why as many as 80, 115 saplings would be planted here so as to leave a cleaner and greener environment for the sake of future generations.
Emphasizing another important aspect, Mr. Kataruchak said that only the plantation of saplings won't do as their proper maintenance and upkeep is also of paramount importance in order to see these saplings blossoming into big shady trees. He also added that such sites should be selected for planting the saplings as are safe such as schools, hospitals and dispensaries. Exhorting the departmental officers to come up with the novel ideas regarding saving the environment, the Minister impressed upon them to work with utmost dedication.
The Forest Guards should be dispatched to the rural areas in order to enable them to approach Sarpanches, Panchen and Panchayats for soliciting their support in the Mission to make Punjab wear a greener look.
The officers of the department also apprised the Minister about various schemes connected with the department such as CAMPA, Green India and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Haryaval Lehar and informed that the active Cooperation of the MLAs of the concerned is being ensured. The officers assured the Minister that the desired goals would be achieved by August.
Among others present on the occasion included the ACS and Financial Commissioner (Forest & Wildlife) Mrs. Raji P. Shrivastava, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (H.O.F.F.) Mr. R.K. Mishra, APCCF (Administration) Mr. Dharminder Sharma and DFOs from all the districts.