Punjab's Highway Bloom: A Green Initiative for Beauty and Sustainability

In a landmark move towards beautification and sustainability, Punjab Forest Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak has announced a comprehensive green initiative that aims to transform state highways with blooming plants. The plan, which includes a variety of commercial and naturally growing species, seeks to revitalise roadsides, especially those intersecting village paths.

The initiative will witness an ambitious plantation drive with 500-meter stretches on both sides of key highways being adorned with flowering plants. This aesthetic project also aims to spur rural employment under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), providing livelihoods while enhancing environmental cleanliness. Minister Kataruchak described it as a 'step toward a greener, more sustainable Punjab' during his press conference.

Initially, a pilot project will be conducted in the districts of Pathankot, Nawanshahr, Khatkar Kalan, Sri Anandpur Sahib, and Sangrur. Each district will experience this greening effort, adhering to specified guidelines for plant height and types. A dedicated monitoring committee will supervise the rollout, ensuring accountability with fortnightly progress reports.

The urgency of the initiative resonates with the global climate crisis, which Kataruchak addressed, stating that Punjab is no exception to its impacts. To further awareness, a campaign set to launch on July 23 in Batala will host environmental-themed competitions in educational institutions over a month, fostering ecological awareness among young minds.

These efforts underscore Punjab's prioritisation of sustainability and community involvement in the face of climate challenges, aligning state strategies with broader ecological preservation goals, he added. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)