District SAS Nagar creates history by planting 1.5 lakh saplings in a single day

Derabassi/SAS Nagar, July 23 : SAS Nagar administration today created history by planting 1.5 lakh saplings on Tuesday to enhance green cover for environmental conservation in the district. MLA Kuljit Singh Randhawa and Deputy Commissioner Mrs Ashika Jain kickstarted the drive from Johlan Kalan Village of Derabassi. During the event, around 10 thousand saplings were planted along with the school students, NGOs and CRPF Personnel at this site.
       Addressing the participants, Derabassi MLA Kuljit Singh Randhawa said that the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Maan-led Punjab government is committed to conserving the environment. Today, when the whole world is struggling with environmental and climate-related issues, the importance of environmental conservation increases even more. If the environment is clean then we will be able to breathe clean air and avoid diseases. Along with this, future generations will also get a clean environment.
      MLA S. Kuljit Singh Randhawa further said that according to the speed with which the farmers are axing trees from their agricultural fields, the coming generations will not even get enough oxygen to breathe. Therefore, the campaign of planting saplings should be done by shunning the bad practice of axing trees. He also said that while planting saplings, priority should be given to planting local species. He said that the effort made by the district administration is highly commendable. He said that he would visit this village once a week to see the saplings planted by him.
       Deputy Commissioner Mrs Aashika Jain said that a total of 1.5 lakh saplings have been planted in a single day to spread the message of Mission Green on a large scale in the district. She said that the purpose of planting trees on a large scale is to mobilize and sensitize people and government departments towards environmental conservation by increasing green cover.
         She said that about 10000 saplings have been planted at a single time at village Johlan Kalan. Apart from this, a campaign to plant saplings at sub-division levels has also been launched at different places simultaneously. Similarly, 2000 saplings at Malakpur in Kharar, 2000 at Kurdi in Mohali, 1000 each at Mote Majra, Tangori and Thaska, and 500 saplings have been planted at Maujpur.
     The Deputy Commissioner further informed that an average of 50,000 saplings have been planted in a day in all three sub-divisions. Under Mission Green, a total of 11 lakh saplings are to be planted across the district and this initiative is a part of the ongoing Mission Green campaign.
      The Deputy Commissioner appealed to all the residents of the district to support and plant more saplings to make Mission Green a success.
     Jasmin Kaur and Harkirat Singh, students of Government High School Johlan Kalan, who participated in the campaign with other students enthusiastically, said that the effort made to plant saplings in their village is commendable. They have felt a lot of happiness by planting saplings and they will also take care of them. By giving the slogan of Ik Rukh Sau Sukh, they will also encourage people to plant more saplings.
     On this occasion, CRPF, 5th Signal Battalion and various NGOs and villagers extended full support to the administration during this campaign.
      Divisional Forest Officer Kanwar Deep Singh IFS, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Urban Development) Damanjit Singh Mann, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Rural Development) Ms Sonam Chaudhary, SDM Himanshu Mahajan along with officials of various departments, a large number of villagers and school students were present.