Need for sustainable environment for future generations: Punjab CM
Darpan News Desk IANS, 05 Jun, 2023 09:56 AM
Chandigarh, June 5 (IANS) Underlining the need for providing a sustainable environment to the future generations, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday gave a clarion call for launching a mass movement to preserve water and environment.
Chairing a state-level function to mark World Environment Day, he expressed concern over the depleting ground water table and polluting environment in the state.
He said 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.
Mann said 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.
Quoting the Gurbani, he said the verse "Pawan Guru, Paani Pitaah, Mata Dharat Mahat" explains how "our great Gurus have equated air (pawan) with teacher, water (paani) with father and land (dharat) with mother".
Unfortunately, Mann said the words of the great Gurus have not been honoured by "us, as we have polluted all these three".
The Chief Minister said now the time has come when we must imbibe the teachings of Gurbani in letter and spirit to restore the glory of the state. While slamming the Opposition parties for blatantly ignoring the environmental issues, he said as water, air and land had no votes so these leaders ignored them.
Mann said due to this massive pollution and degradation of these natural resources took place thereby causing an irreparable loss to society, adding after the formation of the AAP government in the state steps have been taken to save the environment.
Showing concern over the gravity of the emerging situation following the fast depleting water table, the Chief Minister said almost all blocks in the state are in the dark zone as far as the groundwater is concerned.
Mann said it has happened due to reckless pumping of water in fields.
Terming the development as a black day in the history of Punjab, Badal said never before in the history of the state had outsiders been given control of the state and its future generations in this manner.
Sidhu has been left out in the cold ever since the party lost the elections in Punjab earlier this year. He was asked to resign after the party appointed Amrinder Singh Raja Warring as the new President of Punjab Congress. Since then the Congress has set up a new team in Punjab, reportedly annoying the former state Congress chief.
Announcing to replicate the Delhi Model in the state, the Chief Minister said 117 government schools and an equal number of mohalla clinics will be set up with one each in every assembly segment across the state to impart quality education and the state-of-the-art healthcare facilities.
A spokesperson for the Chief Minister's Office said the move is aimed at sprucing up the health and education infrastructure of Punjab by replicating the Delhi model in both these core sectors.
After launching the web-portal amidst presence of DIG (Cyber Crime) Nilambari Jagdale and DSP Samarpal Singh, the DGP congratulated the entire team for developing this user-friendly portal, which could be easily accessed by anyone to report cyber frauds.
A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Navin Chawla noted that the interim status report filed by the Delhi Police shows that the police force failed to prevent miscreants from reaching the residence of the Chief Minister and vandalising the area.
