In a unique initiative aimed at enhancing the green cover in the district, the Jalandhar administration today kicked off a massive plantation drive by planting around 13000 plants in an hour at 250 villages falling under the Sub Division Jalandhar II.Leading the drive by planting saplings in sports stadium at village Jandu Singha with the help of villagers, the Deputy Commissioner Jalandhar Varinder Kumar Sharma said that it was a path breaking step aimed at enhancing the green cover in the district. He said that clean and pollution free environment was a must for ensuring good health of the citizens as trees were the only source of oxygen, which was the basis of human life on the earth. Mr. Sharma said that in today’s scenario when the forest cover was rapidly depleting the need of hour was to ensure maximum plantation, so that it could be enhanced.The Deputy Commissioner said that during this drive thrust was being laid on plantation and maintenance of more and more number of trees at the vacant government or Panchayat land. He said that aid that starting from today this drive would cover the entire district during which saplings would be planted at the vacant government land. Mr. Sharma said that it was the need of the hour to ensure that the environmental pollution, which was a major cause of concern for humanity, was checked efficaciously.On the occasion, Sub Divisional Magistrate Jalandhar II Mr. Paramveer Singh said that today during the drive plantation has been done in all the 250 villages falling in the Sub Division adding during one hour 13,000 saplings have been planted. He said that the main focus of the drive was to generate awareness amongst the people on the serious issue of depleting forest cover and increasing environmental pollution.Prominent amongst others present on the occasion included Assistant Commissioner (Under Training) Mr. Himanshu Jain, District Guidance Counselor Mr. Surjit Lal, Revenue Officer Mr. Aditya Gupta and others.