Punjab: CM Bhagwant Mann announces statewide campaign to clean rivers, drains
Sultanpur Lodhi, July 17: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has announced a statewide campaign to clean rivers and drains of the state.
On Sunday, the Punjab Chief Minister addressed a crowd at a function commemorating the 22nd anniversary of the cleaning of the holy Kali Bein, saying that Punjab is a sacred land of great gurus and saints who have shown us the path to preserve the environment.
He also stated that following in the footsteps of the gurus, the state government will soon launch a massive campaign to clean the state's natural resources in the form of rivers and drains.
While there is no shortage of funding for this noble cause, CM Bhagwant Mann urged people to support it and turn the campaign into a mass movement.
Bhagwant Mann also stated that the state government was making deliberate efforts to increase the state's green cover, for which Shaheed Bhagat Singh Haryiwal Lehar was started. The CM further urged people to support the campaign to make Punjab clean, green, and pollution-free.
Quoting from the Gurbani, chief minister Bhagwant Mann stated ‘Pawan Guru, Paani Pitaah, Mata Dharat Mahat’ which explains how our gurus have equated air (pawan) with teacher, water (paani) with father and land (dharat) with mother.
"Unfortunately, we have not honoured the gurus' word since we have polluted all three," he added. Bhagwant Mann stated that the time has come to internalise the teachings of Gurbani in letter and spirit in order to restore the glory of the state.
The chief minister went on to say that the Covid-19 pandemic has taught us the importance of trees, as people spent a huge amount of money to get artificial respiratory systems in form of oxygen cylinders. Whereas trees are our natural source of oxygen so each one of us should focus on planting more and more saplings for enhancing green cover and saving our coming generations, he added.
Bhagwant Mann also said that the state government is making strenuous efforts for checking the depletion of groundwater by ensuring optimum utilisation of surface water thereby reducing the pressure on groundwater. He added that this year the AAP government has incentivised Direct Sowing of Rice (DSR) due to which 20 lakh acres of the state have been covered by this method.
Also Read | Vigilance Bureau gets 4-day remand of Sangat Singh Gilzian's nephew Daljit Singh
The chief minister slammed previous state governments for damaging the state's ecosystem, saying it is unfortunate that those entrusted with the task of serving the state had wrecked the ecosystem for their own vested interests. The CM claimed that these leaders plundered the wealth of the state far more than the Britisher's Raj and they minted money illegally for their own interests thereby jeopardising the welfare of the people.
The chief minister added, alluding to the government's efforts to combat open looting of public funds, that the state government has launched a campaign against corruption to combat open theft of state money. Bhagwant Mann assured that taxpayers' money is now being spent on people's well-being and the development of the state.
He further lauded the efforts made by Sant Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal for cleaning Kali Bein and said that the historic initiative taken around 22 years ago had acted as a catalyst in cleaning this holy Bein, where Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji used to have bath. He added that such efforts need to be replicated at a mass level to carry forward the legacy of great gurus.
Sant Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal, a prominent environmentalist and Rajya Sabha member, welcomed the chief minister and briefed him about Bein's cleaning efforts over the last 22 years. He also emphasised the importance of cleaning Buddha Nullah and Chitti Bein in the same way, with the active support of the state government.
Earlier, the Chief Minister planted a sapling on the Bein's bank. Bhagwant Mann also drank from the Bein and expressed gratitude for the opportunity.
Those present at the occasion include - Revenue Minister Brahm Shankar Jimpa, MLAs Balkar Singh, Raman Arora, Sheetal Angural, Inderjeet Kaur Mann, and former Punjab Minister Joginder Singh Mann among others.
Also Read | Opposition fields Margaret Alva as candidate for post of Vice President
-PTC News
