Batala, April 21
With the state government declaring the steel town of Batala as one of the four most polluted cities of the state, the Forest Department authorities in a damage control exercise, have gone on an overdrive to plant thousands of trees in and around the smog infested town to control pollution levels.
Officials of the Pollution Control Board admit that pollution levels have touched hazardous level, which is affecting the health of the residents. They gave a report which pointed out that Batala, Mandi Gobindgarh, Ludhiana and Jalandhar were the four most polluted cities in the state.
The state government ordered the Forest Department authorities to prepare an action plan and also asked to implement it on a war footing.
Divisional Forest Officer Wilbert Samson said his department had planted nearly 500 date palm trees on some of the busiest roads in the town.
Apart from the date palm trees, nearly 23,000 trees of different species, too, had been planted.
The trees have been planted at strategic locations, including some of the most polluted areas of the town. They include Amritsar road, Jalandhar road, Gurdaspur road and Qadian road.
