Massive plantation drive along 14-km stretch of Buddha Nullah begins

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 2

A massive plantation drive along the 14-km stretch of the Buddha Nullah has been started by Baba Sewa Singh, chief of Dera Kar Sewa, Khadur Sahib, in association with the district administration and the MC, Ludhiana, on Tuesday.

Under the special drive, 8-10-ft-tall saplings would be planted throughout the stretch by Dera Kar Sewa, Khadur Sahib. Around 2,500 big saplings will be planted in city limits.

The drive was formally kick-started by Chairman of the monitoring committee of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) Justice Jasbir Singh (retd), Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma and Municipal Commissioner Pardeep Kumar Sabharwal in the presence of Baba Sewa Singh.

On Tuesday, around 500 big plants and trees have been brought to Ludhiana from Khadur Sahib via tractor-trailers. Various trees, including ‘peepal’, ‘bohar’ and ‘neem’, are mainly being planted under the drive.

Lauding the efforts of Baba Sewa Singh, Justice Jasbir Singh (retd) said it was the need of the hour to protect the environment by planting saplings to ensure a clean, green and pollution-free Punjab.

He asked the authorities to depute permanent staff to ensure proper upkeep of saplings and watering regularly which would enhance the green cover around the Buddha Nullah.

Baba Sewa Singh said: “We will cover both sides of the Buddha Nullah and our volunteers would also ensure proper care of saplings.”

The Deputy Commissioner said the drive was embarked in consonance with the commitment of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to encourage people to plant more trees for making the state clean, green and pollution-free.

He said such campaigns were need of the hour to check environmental pollution in the state and exhorted officers and employees of government departments that each one of them must plant maximum saplings to enhance the green cover in the district.

The Municipal Commissioner claimed that it was the duty of all residents to protect the environment for giving a better future to next generations by planting saplings. He said the civic body would appoint requisite staff for ensuring the upkeep of the saplings.

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