Exhorting the people to make Punjab clean, green and pollution free under the revamped ‘Mission Tandarust Punjab’, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Saturday emphasized the need to develop synergy amongst all the line departments to achieve the desired goals for a safer and cleaner environment.
He virtually launched the Statewide revamped 'Mission Tandarust Punjab' to kickstart slew of development projects worth Rs.115 crore to further capitalise on the success of the first phase of the Mission so as to make second phase more focussed by introducing 10 Sub-Missions spearheaded by separate Departments of the State. These sub-missions include Safe Food, Clean Water, Green Punjab, Road Safety, Nutrition, Waste Management, Khedo Punjab, Healthy Soil, Clean Air and Preventive Health.
In his address on the World Environment Day, the Chief Minister hoped that this initiative would lead to better coordination among all stakeholders viz. Punjab Government, Research Institutions, Industries, NGOs and general public to ensure sustainable and environment friendly model of development.
Recalling the first Sikh Guru Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji's ideology "Pavan Guru, Pani Pita, Mata Dharat Mahat" (Air is the guru, water the father, and earth the mother), the Chief Minister underlined the intrinsic bond between nature and mankind. Underlining the need to preserve this philosophy in letter and spirit to ensure that the future generations do not suffer from deadly diseases due to environmental pollution, as is evident from the prevailing air pollution causing several eye and lung ailments, said Capt Amarinder.
Showing concern over the pollution in the rivers, the Chief Minister said with concerted efforts of environmentalists like Sant Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal and Head of the Namdhari Sect Baba Uday Singh has led to considerable improvement in the quality of water in river Kali Bein and Buddha Nala, which flows into Satluj river. He sought fulsome support and Cooperation from other NGOs for such a noble task.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister digitally laid the foundation stone of Waryana Dump Site Remediation Project in Jalandhar City at a cost of Rs. 35 crore apart from a Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) in Fazilka (Rs. 14.68 crore), Ajnala and Goraya (Rs. 6.25 crore each) and Garhdiwala (Rs. 3.14 crore). Besides, the Chief Minister also inaugurated Household Purifiers in 54 Arsenic affected villages of Amritsar and Gurdaspur at a cost of Rs. 4.85 crore which would benefit 72,000 villagers, an STP in Amritsar City (Rs. 32.23 crore), Green Area Development Project under Flyovers in Jalandhar City (Rs. 3.90 crore) and seven parks developed under Green Area Parks Development Project in Jalandhar City (Rs. 8.84 crore). The Chief Minister also launched an App on the revamped Mission Tandarust Punjab.