Govt aiming for clean and green Punjab: Lal Chand Kataruchak

Hoshiarpur, May 26

The state government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is undertaking various initiatives to ensure a clean and green Punjab. Forest and Wildlife Preservation Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak, while visiting the polythene bag manufacturing factory here, said that saplings are being prepared on a large scale in the nurseries of the state to realise the vision of the CM.

The minister said that the first pre-condition to prepare the saplings is to take care of them in a proper manner. Hence, the polythene factory has been made fully operational in order to meet the target of 3 crore saplings for the state nurseries pertaining to 2022-23 and 2023-24. The old machinery at the factory has been repaired as part of the upgrade process besides installing a fully automated machine which has led to the production capacity being increased to 3.5 tonne bags per week. The thickness level of these bags stands increased to 76 microns from the earlier level of 30 microns, said the minister, adding that now the saplings can be kept in these bags for two years.

Apart from catering to the eco-friendly aspect, the plastic waste being generated is recycled to manufacture polythene bags. In keeping with the target of the Forest Department, work is being done in three shifts.

Among those present on the occasion were the Conservator of Forests, Training Circle, SFRI, Ladowal (Ludhiana), Satnam Singh, Conservator of Forests, North Circle, Hoshiarpur, Sanjeev Kumar Tewari, DFO Amneet Singh, SDM, Hoshiarpur, Preet Inder Singh Bains, DFSC Sanyogita and Forest Range Officer Jatinder Singh.