Tree plantation alongside Buddha Nullah: Wait for project gets longer

Tribune News Service

Harshraj Singh
Ludhiana, April 23

Even after the passing of a year, a proposed project to plant tree saplings alongside a 34 km-long stretch (outside the MC’s jurisdiction) out of around 48 km total stretch of the Buddha Nullah is yet to be launched.

The tree saplings plantation project was earlier supposed to be started by GLADA last year but it could not be launched. GLADA had made a plan for the plantation of around 17,000 trees alongside the Buddha Nullah (upstream) from Kum Kalan to MC limit near Tajpur Road, Ludhiana, and alongside the drain (downstream) from the MC limit near Haibowal Dairy Complex to the Sutlej.

Now, a member of the Buddha Nullah’s Special Task Force, Col (retd) JS Gill, has sought from the government to launch the tree saplings plantation drive at the earliest. He said, “The length of the Buddha Nullah is approximately 48 km, 14 km of which falls within the boundaries of the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation. GLADA had earlier planned to plant 17,000 tree saplings alongside the Buddha Nullah outside the MC’s jurisdiction but the project was not launched. The Drainage Department later claimed that it would carry out plantation through the MGNREGA labour. When I could not see much happening, I then approached the District Forest Department to take over the land for forestation. Now, the Forest Department is working to start the plantation drive.”

Col Gill said there are a number of encroachments along the Buddha Nullah. He said, “If all encroachments are removed, around 2 lakh saplings of trees can be planted on both sides of 34 km-long stretch (outside the MC boundaries) of the Buddha Nullah as per my calculations. Moreover, there is a need for the plantation of vetiver as it will not only strengthen the banks but also help to reduce pollution. Once the work of demarcation is done and encroachments are removed, fencing should be installed to avoid re-encroachments. The tree saplings should be planted in a well-planned manner,” he added.

Range Officer of the Forest Department, Kamalpreet Singh said they are going to hold a meeting soon to finalise the plan to carry out the plantation drive along the Buddha Nullah.

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