Hoshiarpur: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann today called upon the people of Punjab to turn the plantation drive into a mass movement to curb environmental pollution and increase the green cover in the state.
Addressing a State-level function on the occasion of Van Mahotsav here today, the Chief Minister said the aim of this unique initiative was to further enhance greenery across the State. Referring to the Gurbani line “Pavan Guru Pani Pita Mata Dharat Mahat”, he said the great Gurus had given the status of Guru to air, father to water and mother to earth. The Chief Minister said in those days there were no industrial units which polluted the environment but it was the foresight of our great Gurus which aimed at eliminating pollution.
The Chief Minister said that now the time has come when we should follow the teachings of Gurbani so that the environment of the state can be saved and its pristine glory can be restored. He said that the state government will leave no stone unturned for this noble cause. He said that the people of Punjab should support the state government by planting as many trees as possible. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that as per the need of the hour, it is the duty of all of us to protect the environment, therefore it is important to convert the plantation drive into a mass movement.
The Chief Minister said that Punjab is the first state in the country to implement the ‘Carbon Credit Scheme’ to protect the environment and combat global warming . He said that this project has been implemented in the state with the help of TERI (The Energy and Resources Institute) and as a pilot project, Rs. 45 crore would be disbursed in four instalments to 3,686 farmers of the state. Bhagwant Singh Mann today distributed cheques of Rs. 1.75 crore to 818 farmers of Hoshiarpur district as the first instalment under the scheme. The Chief Minister said that this amount would be deposited in the bank accounts of those farmers who were playing an active role in curbing environmental pollution.
The Chief Minister expressed hope that this scheme will play an important role in reducing the impact of greenhouse gases. He said that this scheme is based on the polluting parties, where the polluting institutions give financial compensation to the institutions or farmers who contribute to reducing pollution. The Chief Minister said that farmers planting trees are playing an active role in reducing environmental pollution, due to which they can become eligible beneficiaries of this scheme.
The Chief Minister said that man has done a great mischief with nature by cutting trees indiscriminately. He said that due to this mistake of man, we are facing natural disasters all over the country and planting more and more trees is the only solution to this. Bhagwant Singh Mann advised the farmers to plant at least four saplings in their fields. He also said that if necessary, a law can also be made in this regard to save our future generations.
The Chief Minister said that when he took over, only 21 per cent of canal water was being used. He said that it was a matter of great pride and satisfaction that today 72 per cent of canal water was being used for irrigation. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that a new Kandi Canal was being constructed which was likely to benefit 11,000 acres of area. He said that a 206 MW capacity dam at Dhar Kalan would also be dedicated to the public soon.
The Chief Minister said that the Punjab Government has set an example for the welfare of the state and its people. He said that for the first time since Independence, his Government has taken up the construction of Malwa Canal in the State. He said that it is a record that no previous Government of the State had paid heed to this need. Bhagwant Singh Mann further said that this new Canal of around 150 Km length would usher in a new era of unprecedented development and prosperity in the State, particularly the Malwa region and the State Government would spend around Rs. 2300 Crore on this project which would cater to the irrigation needs of around two lakh acres of land in the State.
Launching a scathing attack on Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal, the Chief Minister said the former Deputy Chief Minister was trying to mislead the people with his political antics. “This member of the Badal family is now apologising for his actions but he should remember one thing that mistakes can be forgiven but crimes can never be forgiven. The Badal family has committed grave crimes against the state and its people which can never be forgiven,” he quipped.
The Chief Minister said that the State Government was collecting evidence of the sacrilege incident and the real culprits of this crime would soon be behind bars. Attacking the rebel Akali leadership, the Chief Minister said that these leaders were now shedding crocodile tears on this issue, whereas when these crimes were taking place, this rebel leadership was also in collusion with the Badal family. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that these leaders cannot now absolve themselves of the betrayal committed against Punjab by mere rhetoric.
The Chief Minister said that gone are the days when the government was run from offices in Chandigarh. He said that the real owner is the public and to save the time, money and energy of the public, the government is now being run from villages and towns. He said that the State Government has already launched the ‘Sarkar Tuhade Dwar’ programme under which camps are being organized at village level to deliver citizen centric services to the people at their doorsteps. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that more such pro-people efforts would be made in the coming days for the betterment of the people.
Revenue Minister Bram Shankar Jimpa, Food and Civil Supplies and Forest Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak, Lok Sabha member Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal and others were also present on the occasion.
