Punjab CM calls for ‘Evergreen Revolution’

Chandigarh, Nov 27 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday called upon people to usher in an ‘Evergreen Revolution’ by planting more trees to make the country clean, green and pollution free.

Badal said people should start a campaign to plant at least one tree in their homes every time there is a birth of a child.

Addressing delegates at a national stakeholders’ meet on ‘Trees outside forests and wood-based enterprise’ at the Forest Research Institute (FRI) in Dehradun, Badal said that planting trees should become a mass movement to protect environment and maintain ecological balance.

Badal said the Punjab government was determined to enhance the area under agro-forestry from existing 6.3 percent to 15 percent in coming years. He said active support of the FRI has been sought for this.

He said planting of trees could be the second ‘Green Revolution’ and farmers could benefit from the concept of the agro-forestry.