Chunni Lal Bhagat, Forest and wildlife Minister, Punjab today said that under the Greener Punjab Mission the forest cover in the state would be increased from present 7% to 15%. The department has fixed a target of planting 4 crore 75 lakh saplings during the year 2013-14. The Forest Minister while presiding over a meeting of the department to review the progress of Greening Punjab Mission he issued strict instructions to achieve this target. He said that the National Forest Policy envisages 33% of the country’s area under Forest/Tree cover for safeguarding the environment and ecology of the Nation. Punjab being a predominantly agricultural State has less than 7% of its area under Forest/Tree cover, resulting in severe environmental and ecological degradation and also leads to rapidly rising pollution levels in the air, water and soil of the State, he added.
Bhagat asked the officers to ensure the proper care and nurturing of the saplings being planted by the department under Greener Punjab Mission. The Minister said that only the plantation of saplings would not get any goal if it was not ensured that these saplings grow into trees. Mr. D.S. Bains, Principal Secretary of the Forest Department apprised the minister that the department has found 9800 hectare area in 9145 villages and 3021 hectare area in institutions which could be utilized for plantation of saplings to achieve states’ goal of 15% forest cover by the year 2020. Prominent among other present in the meeting included Chowdhary Nand Lal, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Mr. HS Gujral, Principal Chief Forest Conservator, Mr. MP Rai, MD Forest Corporation, Mr. Dhirender Singh, Chief Wildlife Warden and other.