Mere 1.34% area under forest cover in Fazilka district

Praful Chander Nagpal

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Fazilka, July 29

The problem of afforestation has acquired serious proportions in Fazilka district, with only one tree per 35 persons and just two trees per acre, as was found in a survey. Clearly, Fazilka is facing a significant ecological challenge as the total forest area in the district is a mere 0.42 square km, which amounts to only 1.34 per cent of its total land.

As far as the green area in only Fazilka town is concerned, the situation is worse as there are only 6,015 trees for a population of about 90,000.

On the other hand, the area under forestation is 8 per cent in Srigangangar district of Rajasthan, which is considered to be a desert state.

Official sources said the region receives minimal annual average rainfall of approximately 30mm as compared to 293mm in Sriganganagar and 293.5mm in Jaisalmer. Notwithstanding the Forest Department’s tall claims, the situation has turned worst and the challenges persist.

To meet this challenge, the annual Anand Utsav, the first-of-its-kind festival dedicated to environment, has been initiated by the leading NGO Graduates Welfare Association Fazilka (GWAF) here today. “This year, a target of planting 10,000 saplings through the “Dial-a-Tree” scheme has been fixed,” said Navdeep Asija, general secretary (Administration), GWAF.

The event was initiated to address these issues through sustainable tree planting. Since 2009, over 53,000 saplings have been distributed and planted in Fazilka and its surrounding areas. In collaboration with the Forest Department, Municipal Council Fazilka and District Administration (Fazilka), the festival has consistently planted 3,000 to 4,000 saplings annually.

Launched in 2010, the “Dial-a-Tree” project invites residents to order saplings, which are supplied through green ambulances/oxygen vans and planted free of cost. Through public participation, each of these plants will be protected and watered for the next three months.

Fazilka Municipal Council offered to provide 800 plants with concrete tree guards on 10 commercial corridors of the city, in consent with the shopkeepers. This initiative is expected to significantly enhance the urban green cover. Oxygen stalls shall also be set up at various locations here.

Deputy Commissioner Senu Duggal highlighted the community”s exemplary mobilisation and praised GWAF for taking such initiatives. “We are providing saplings to everyone free of cost through nurseries of the Forest and Wildlife Department, Punjab,” she said. In addition, the administration aims to plant seven lakh trees and establish mini-forests in both urban and rural areas with the help of MGNREGA.