PUNJAB CM ORDERS PLANTATION DRIVES ALONG HIGHWAYS, IN URBAN AREAS TO PROTECT ENVIRONMENT

PUNJAB CM ORDERS PLANTATION DRIVES ALONG HIGHWAYS, IN URBAN AREAS TO PROTECT ENVIRONMENT

ORDERS MANDATORY ALLOCATION OF GREEN COVER BY BUILDERS/OWNERS TO OBTAIN CLEARANCES

Nabaz-e-Punjab Bureau, Chandigarh, June 5:
Underlining his strong commitment to environment conservation, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday directed the Forest Department to launch a state-wide drive to plant indigenous tree varieties along the highways.
The Chief Minister has also asked the Department of Urban Development to go in for intensive greening of the residential colonies, with amendment in rules, if necessary, to make it mandatory for builders to allocate a part of the property for green plantation in order to obtain the necessary building clearances.
The Chief Minister’s directives coincided with the World Environment Day, which the state government is celebrating with a renewed commitment to protecting the environment from further deterioration and conserving the precious resources of Punjab.
In his directive to the Forest Department, the Chief Minister underlined the need to undertake a mega campaign to restore the state’s green belt, especially along the highways, where it had been eroded as a result of four-laning and other development projects. He advised the department officials to undertake large-scale plantation of Punjab’s native trees, such as Kikkar, Shisham, Mango, Ashoka, Jamun, Imli, Bael, etc, along the highways in place of trees like Eucalyptus and Babool, to ensure better green cover, besides yielding fruits.
The Chief Minister, while expressing concern over the depleting green cover in the urban areas, asked the Urban Development department to launch tree plantation drives in colonies to improve the air quality and the aesthetics of these areas. From now on, property builders and owners should mandatorily be required to ensure the plantation and maintenance of trees and plants, in proportion to the covered area, to become eligible for clearances, Captain Amarinder said, adding that the building laws would be suitably amended if needed to ensure stringent compliance in this regard.
The Chief Minister also appealed to the people of Punjab to join hands with the government in its campaign to protect the state’s ecology to ensure a better future for their children. He underlined the shared responsibility of every persons towards safeguarding Nature and creating a safer and more sustainable environment to improve the quality of life for the future generations.