Amritsar 14th February 2012 : Encouraged by the revelations of the State of Forest Report 2011 released by Forest Survey of India, the Forest Department and NGOs of Amritsar have further resolved to work in amore coordinated manner to have a more effective public private partnership so as to achieve better results in future. A meeting of various NGOs was held at the O/o Divisional Forest Officer, Amritsar.
The representatives of the organizations unanimously resolved to thank and honour Sh. Kahan Singh Pannu IAS former Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar for leading from the front a movement of large scale tree plantation in the district in association with NGOs and Govt department since 2007. They also thanked the efforts made by Sh. N.S. Randhawa IFS, the then Divisional Forest Officer, Amritsar for coordinating the tree plantation movement effectively during last four years.
The NGOs decided to organize a function in month of March with a view to honour all the people who were instrumental in large scale tgree plantation in the district since 2007. The meeting noted the praise worthy contribution of SGPC, prominent school principals, Pingalwara, Baba Sewa Singh, Baba Kashmira Singh Bhurewale, Panchayats, Forest Department, MGNREGA Project and Army Authorities.
The NGOs unanimously formed ‘Haryawal Dasta’ to continue the Green Amritsar Campaign in future also in a coordinated manner by involving communities and religious organizations so that the land of the venerable Golden Temple could become totally green and pollution free.
It is noteworthy that as per recently released State of Forest report 2011 Amritsar district has registered a highest increase of 16 Sq. Km i.e. 1600 hectare of green over amongst the various districts of Punjab against the total increase of 100 Sq. km in whole Punjab. On contacting Mr. N.S. Randhawa, Divisional Manager Forest Corporation, Amritsar told the press that in order to supplement the shrinking forest land base due to various development projects, the Punjab Government has taken an unprecedented and historic decision to purchase non-forest private land which is first of its kind in the whole country. Forest Corporation has nearly complied the process to purchase about 600 Acres of private land in order to broaden the shrinking forestland base of the State. He further added that since the past few years Forest department has also focused on non-forest land through National Afforestation Programme (NAP), Plantation on institutional lands, free supply of plants to various institutions including Army, BSF, High Tech Clone Nursery and Quality Seedling Production for farm forestry.
Meeting was attended by P.S. Bhatti of Missionaries Khudai Khidmatgaran, Deepak Babbar, K.S. Takkar & Gagandeep Sharma of Mission Aagaaz, PDS Randhawa of Pollution Control Committee, G.S. Mahal of Taraksheel Society, D.S. Kohli of Amritsar Vikas Manch, T.S. Raja of Nehru Yuvak Kendra, Balwant Singh Forest Range Officer, Sham Lal Gandhiwadi etc.
