DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

The Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Thursday appealed to all the farmers for planting at least four trees around their tube wells in the fields.

Chairing a meeting to review the forestation drive in the state here at his office, the Chief Minister unequivocally said that it is the need of hour to enhance forest cover in the state.

He said that the state government has set a target of planting around 3 crore trees in the state for which a massive drive will be started in the coming days. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that farmers can play a proactive role for transforming this campaign into a public movement adding that as the food growers have made the country self-reliant in food production likewise they can play a major role in enhancing green cover in the state.

The Chief Minister said that last year a total of 1.2 Crores plants were planted adding that this year the target has been enhanced to 3 Crore this year. He said that the Deputy Commissioners should play an active role in the plantation drive so that the green cover across the state has been enhanced. Bhagwant Singh Mann asked the DCs to identify the vacant government land in their respective districts for ensuring massive plantation on it.

The Chief Minister said that the Deputy Commissioners should personally visit all the districts of the state to monitor the plantation drive at ground root level. He said that there are 14.01 lakh tube wells adding that if every farmer plants four saplings then the forest cover will enhance considerably.

Bhagwant Singh Mann said that it is a matter of immense pride and satisfaction that the state government has already covered 3.95 lakh tube wells under this ambitious scheme. have been covered and remaining will be covered this year.

Quoting verse 'Pawan Guru, Paani Pitaah, Mata Dharat Mahat' from Gurbani, the Chief Minister said that the great Gurus have equated air (pawan) with teacher, water (paani) with father and land (dharat) with mother. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that now the time has come when we must imbibe the teachings of Gurbani in our lives for restoring the pristine glory of the state by resolving to save the environment of the state. He said that the state government will leave no stone unturned for this noble cause adding that the people of state should support the state government by planting more and more trees.


(editor@dailyworld.in)