Amritsar district admn prepares for massive tree plantation drive

Amritsar, July 11

After the state government announced its plan to increase the covered forest area in Punjab by 2030, the district administration seems to be preparing for massive tree plantation drive. Holding a review meeting with officials of various departments today, Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori said that the district has demanded more than 13 lakh saplings in connection with the target set by the state government to plant 2.5 crore saplings during the monsoon season.

Thori said that so far, about two and a half lakh saplings have been planted. He instructed the Forest Department to continue the supply from its nurseries and said that saplings be provided for plantations in empty places during the monsoon season.

“The area under forests in Punjab is currently 5.92 per cent. To improve the environment and green wealth of the state, the government has made a plan to increase the area under trees and forests to 7.5 per cent by 2030. A new initiative has been launched where massive plantation drives will be carried out in all districts and apart from forest land, saplings will be planted on a large scale in non-forest land and panchayat areas,” he said. He also made it clear that in future, the panchayats will be fully entitled to the income generated from trees cut from the area by the panchayats. He made it clear that in the same way, the trees planted in schools can be cut by the department concerned if necessary. “There will be no need to take NOC (No Objection Certificate) from the Forest Department,” he said.

A target of planting 10 lakh saplings was set in Amritsar. “With these plants, the environment will improve. It needs a collaborative effort and we have roped in schools, colleges, Army, police, BSF and other departments to mark their vacant places for planting saplings,” said Thori.