By Ravinder Singh Robin Amritsar, July 4, (ANI): Taking a serious note of the depleting green cover in the holy city Amritsar, the district administration with the help of a city-based NGO has embarked on a tree-plantation drive here.
The plantation campaign named "Go Green" was started a year ago. It is intended to bring a visible difference in the green cover in the city.
The drive received impetus after the Member of Parliament from Amritsar, Navjot Singh Sidhu came forward in its support and announced a personal donation of rupees two crore (Rs.20 million) for this drive. He has already given rupees one crore (Rs.10 million) for it.
Deputy Commissioner Kahan Singh Pannu said that earlier Guru Ram Dass, the fourth master of the Sikhs, had also planted many orchards in and around the holy city.
"But with the passage of time, pollution-level has increased and we have failed to provide the city more orchards for the respiration. " Pannu said.
"According to a survey by the state pollution control board the SPM (suspended particulate matter) levels are quite high even in the ambient air in the vicinity of the Golden Temple," Pannu added.
Talking about the campaign in the city, Pannu said that this was the first time that to encourage the "Go Green" drive in Amritsar the State government announced to grant rupees 50 million for making the city greener than ever.
"About 85 per cent of the planted saplings have survived in the last one year since launch of this plantation drive," claimed Pannu, the Deputy commissioner.
Environmentalists and tree lovers in the city have hailed the special drive being carried out by the local administration with the help of the NGO for improving the greenery.
They hope that this would help improve tree population not just in the city but could also inspire others in the State to join this "Go Green" drive.
Dr. Daljit Singh, a renowned eye surgeon and philanthropist, said: "It is not that the depleting tree cover in the city is the only issue, there are other problems like the water-level going down by two feet every year."
"However, thanks to the campaign people now take care of the plants after planting them," he added.
The administration has also involved the Army in the "Go Green" drive.
At the military station in Amritsar, under the aegis of the Flaming Arrow Brigade, the Indian Army personnel will plant approximately 20,000 tree saplings of different varieties to enhance the green cover in the city.
Brigadier S.K. Gadeock of the Flaming Arrow Brigade said that though our primary task is to protect the country, this is our secondary task to help others to make environment clean and pollution-free.
"The Indian Army has always been at the forefront in guarding the environment ' by improving the ecological balance in the area. The Army is implementing an afforestation program," said Brigadier Gadeock. (ANI)
