Hoshiarpur- Labour Party President Jai Gopal Dhiman strongly condemned the deliberate uprooting of trees due to the negligence of the guards and other officials of the department on the banks of Bist Doab Canal near Mehtiana and said that the responsibility of the forest department is to create and maintain greenery and take care of the trees so that there is a balance in the environment.
Dhiman said that there was a time when the officers and guards of the forest department used to perform their duties strictly and lush green trees were seen on both sides of the canal and the department was completely dedicated to the trees. But now due to corruption in the department, the forest conservators are getting the trees cut to fill their pockets, which is very sad. He said that the forest department had to protect the trees by planting trees on the banks of the canal with the help of the guards. There, a large number of green trees dried up due to the guards and their colleagues allowing the dumping of cow dung on the green trees.
Dhiman said that according to the Forest Act, no one can be allowed to do this. If the department continues to uproot trees like this, it will not take long for Punjab to become Rajasthan. He said that such negligence and corruption is increasing at a time when big conferences are being held all over the world on global warming and in our Punjab, the forest department is also bursting crackers like politicians.
There is a dire need to know the importance of trees. These trees provide health to humans. They do this, they give shelter to birds, they save the earth, they stop carbon emissions on earth and they maintain the balance of the environment. However, some responsible employees of the department, while filling their pockets, are also shooting themselves in the foot and promoting the work of birds and humanity.
The situation is becoming so serious that today the fence itself has started eating the field. But this is not enough here, there are many trees fallen on the banks of the canal which have dried up and are being stolen due to the negligence of the guards.
Dhiman said that with the connivance of the department, many people have encroached the banks of the canal and uprooted the trees. Due to the negligence of the department, the number of trees has decreased drastically as compared to earlier. Due to this, global warming is increasing, diseases are spreading from house to house and hospitals are getting filled with people.
When the guards used to do duty on bicycles, at that time the number of trees was stable and there was greenery on the banks of the canal - but now when the guards go for a walk on vehicles, the trees are getting uprooted. He said that the governments were honest and now on the contrary they have become lazy.
Dhiman has sent a complaint with photos to the Chief Forest Conservation Officer Chandigarh and demanded that no employee or officer wears uniform and instead of creating greenery on the canal, he is destroying the trees, in such a situation, he should be transferred immediately and a guard office should be made in Mehtiana.