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Underlining the need for providing a sustainable environment to future generations, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday gave a clarion call for launching a mass movement to preserve water and environment in the state.
Mann, chairing a state-level function to mark World Environment Day, expressed deep concern over the depleting groundwater table and polluting environment in the state. “Immediate remedial steps are required to save the only precious and scarce natural resource of Punjab in terms of water along with checking the environmental pollution. This cannot be done by the government alone but people’s participation is must by launching a vigorous mass awareness campaign to sensitize them about its significance, especially in wake of global warming,” he said.
Showing deep concern over the gravity of the emerging situation following the fast-depleting water table, the Chief Minister said that almost all the blocks in the state are in the dark zone as far as the groundwater is concerned. It has happened due to reckless pumping of water in fields, and the trend needs to be checked immediately so that our future generations do-not have to strive for water, he said.
The Chief Minister said that the State Government is taking massive steps for optimum utilization of the canal water to save the groundwater. “At present, Punjab is using only 33-34 per cent of its canal water…This will be enhanced in the coming days,” he said, envisioning that if Punjab can enhance the canal water utilization to 60 per cent in first phase, nearly four lakh tubewells out of total 14 lakh can be stopped thereby helping in saving water.
Also citing the example of Telangana for water conservation, Mann said that it is a revolutionary model that is aimed at recharging the water table holistically.
The Chief Minister also dedicated the newly-constructed ultra-modern building having world class instrumentation to the Punjab Biotechnology Incubator (PBTI) in Knowledge City. “The unique facility will be extensively used for testing of food, agri, water, environment, and health sectors for pesticides residues, heavy metals, food additives or adulterants etc,” he said.
On the occasion of World Environment Day on Monday, the state’s Local Government Minister Balkar Singh said that the Local Government Department aims to plant about 2.25 lakh native plants in all Urban Local Bodies of the state to enhance greenery in the state's urban areas. He also appealed to the residents of the state to actively participate in the strategies developed by the local government department for planting greenery and trees in the cities.
Emphasizing the importance of maintaining saplings after planting, the Minister said that thus, an online record of the numbers and progress of the planted saplings across the state will be maintained through the ‘Hara-Punjab, Rangla-Punjab’ mobile app.