Ludhiana, March 2- The district administration inassociation with Baba Sewa Singh, the chief of Dera Kar Sewa Khadur Sahib hasbegun a massive plantation drive on a mission mode along the 14-km stretch ofBuddha Nullah, in Shivpuri locality on Tuesday.
The drive was formally kick-started by Chairman monitoringcommittee of National Green Tribunal (NGT) led by Justice (Retired) JasbirSingh, Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma, Municipal CommissionerPardeep Kumar Sabharwal in the presence of Baba Sewa Singh.
Under this special drive, saplings having height of8-10-foot-tall would be planted throughout the stretch.
Lauding the efforts of Baba Sewa Singh, Justice (Retired)Jasbir Singh said that it is need of the hour to protect the environment byplanning saplings to ensure clean, green and pollution free Punjab. He saidthat Punjab Government and NGT is already doing its task of the safeguardingthe environment but now people need to come forward and join this noble causeto save future generations.
He asked the authorities to depute permanent staff toensuring proper upkeep of the saplings and watering regularly which wouldenhance green cover around the Buddha Nullah.
Justice (Retired) Jasbir Singh added that trees play animportant role by conserving natural resources and improving the environment.
Deputy Commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma said that thisdrive was embarked in consonance with the commitment of the Punjab ChiefMinister Captain Amarinder Singh to encourage people to plant more and moretrees for making Punjab clean, green and pollution free.
Sharma said that such campaigns were need of the hour tocheck environmental pollution in the state.
Sharma exhorted the officers and employees of the governmentdepartments that each one of them must plant maximum saplings to enhance greencover in the district.
Municipal Commissioner Pardeep Kumar Sabharwal claimed thatit is the duty of each person to protect the environment for giving a betterfuture to the next generations by planting saplings.
He said that the civic body would appoint the requisitestaff for ensuring the upkeep of the saplings.
Baba Sewa Singh, the chief of Dera Kar Sewa Khadur Sahibsaid we would cover both sides of the Buddha Nullah and our volunteers wouldalso ensure proper care of the saplings.