Make the plantation campaign a mass movement… CM Bhagwant Mann appeals in Hoshiarpur – Read

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has called upon the people to make the plantation drive a mass movement to curb pollution and increase the green cover in the state. The Chief Minister was addressing a state-level function in Hoshiarpur on the occasion of Van Mahan Utsav. Quoting the Gurbani shloka ‘Pavanu Guru Pani Pita Mata Dharti Mahatu’, the Chief Minister said that the great Gurus had given the status of Guru to air, father to water and mother to land (earth). Their vision was to eliminate 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 restored to its ancient glory. He said that the state government will leave no stone unturned for this noble cause. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that the people of Punjab should plant as many trees as possible. It is the duty of all of us to save the environment as per the need of the hour.
The Chief Minister said that Punjab is the first state in the country to implement the ‘Carbon Credit Scheme’ to save the environment and control global warming. He said that this project has been implemented in the state in collaboration with TERI (The Energy and Research Institute) and as a pilot project, Rs 45 crore will be distributed to 3686 farmers of the state in four installments.

Bhagwant Singh Mann distributed cheques worth Rs 1.75 crore as the first instalment under this scheme to 818 farmers in Hoshiarpur. The Chief Minister said that this amount will be transferred to the bank accounts of those farmers who are playing an active role in curbing environmental pollution. The Chief Minister said that for the first time after independence, a government has started the construction of Malwa Canal in the state. He said that it is a record that no previous government of the state paid attention to this need.
The Chief Minister said that man has played a big game with nature by cutting trees indiscriminately. He said that due to this human error we are facing natural disasters across 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 needed, a law can also be made in this regard to save our future generations. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that a new Kandhi canal is being constructed which is likely to benefit 11,000 acres of land. He said that a dam of 206 MW capacity will also be inaugurated soon in Dhar Kalan.
Bhagwant Singh Mann further said that this new canal of about 150 kms will usher in a new era of unprecedented progress and prosperity in the state, especially the Malwa region and the state government will spend about Rs 2,300 crore on this prestigious project. This will meet the irrigation needs of lakhs of acres of land in the state.