As a part 550th Prakash Purb Celebrations of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji, the Punjab Government has now undertaken a massive drive for plantation of flower trees and flowers in the vicinity of the holy city of Sultanpur Lodhi so as to present a picturesque view to the millions of devotees likely to converge here during the mega event in November this. Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the Punjab Government said that the Horticulture Department has been entrusted with this task and its Director has been deputed as a nodal Officer to oversee the overall plantation drive. Under this ambitious project to plant 550 trees of Gulmohar and Amaltas, nearly 300 have already been planted in and around the historic Gurdwara Sri Ber Sahib and banks of Holy Bein besides flower beds are being made on both sides of roads leading to the holy city and to ‘Pind Babe Nanak Da’.Meanwhile, the Deputy Commissioner Kapurthala DPS Kharbanda informed that 1100 MGNREGA workers have been involved to undertake the plantation of four lakh flowering plants to be put all along Holy Bein river side facing the historic Gurdwara Sri Ber Sahib.
Apart from this, flowers of different varieties Celosia, Cristata, French Marigold Lemon, French Marigold Orange, Celosia Plumosa, Gomphrena Purple and Cosmos Bippinatus would be planted in the flower beds spread over nearly four acres around the VVIP helipad being constructed at the outskirts of village Bassowal. It has also been decided to write 550 on the elevated soil platform with plantation of marigold flowers in commemoration of this sacred occasion. All the flowers being planted would blossom during last week of October till January.Pertinently, an eminent floriculturist from Punjab, Avtar Singh Dhindsa along with Advocate Harpreet Sandhu have conceptualised the plan in close coordination with other line departments viz Horticulture, PWD and Rural Development and Panchayats to execute this gigantic task. The seedlings of all different varieties of flowers are being prepared in a nursery developed over an area of 1.5 - 2 lac acres at Sultanpur Lodhi. It may be recalled that on the directives of Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, the Punjab government has already initiated a massive drive to plant 550 saplings in each village across the state in commemoration of 550th birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji. The Forests Department has been tasked with undertaking this massive plantation campaign in a organised and a time bound manner.