PUNJAB: Native species of trees like harad, baheda, jamoa, jamun, arjun, amrood, aam, amla, kikkar, rajain, jand, neem etc which are considered to be beneficial for human health have been planted in ‘Nanak Bagichi’ set-up by Punjab forest department in 250 cities and towns across the state in the last two years based on the Japanese Miyawaki concept.
Set up to pay tribute to Guru Nanak Dev on his 550th birth anniversary, these act as green lungs in the urban area and provide oxygen. The govt has also established ‘Pavitar Van’ at 122 places across the state to commemorate the teachings of Guru Teg Bahadur.
Both these initiatives make people aware of the benefits of trees and nature towards establishing a clean and green environment. Talking with this newspaper, additional principal chief conservator of forest (development), Punjab, Saurabh Gupta said, “Punjab is a forest deficient state and the state government under the green Punjab mission has designed means and ways to promote urban forestry through people-centric initiatives such as the creation of Nanak Bagichis, Awareness Parks and Pavitar Vans.
Since these initiatives are in the core values of religious scriptures as well they fall in the ethos of environmental conservation, and the citizens participate in such activates and contribute their bit towards this endeavour.”He said these bagichis would enhance the green cover in the region besides checking environmental pollution.
“Nanak Bagichi is a concept in which bio-diversity-rich plantations are carried out in urban areas where space is constrained. Generally, 500 saplings are planted in 200 to 300-square-yard plots. In the last two years, these bagichis have been set up in 250 cities and towns in the state. They generate oxygen, thus acting as the green lungs of the cities. We are planting Nanak Bagichis on institutional and government land. We spend Rs 1.98 lakh on the plantation of saplings per bagichi. These are proving to be pivotal in enhancing the shrinking green cover of the state,’’ he added.
“The bagichis have been set up based on the Japanese Miyawaki forest concept. These under layered plantation will ensure 30 times denser growth of plants and hence lead to better carbon dioxide absorption. This concept works well in urban areas because it follows the principles of natural forestry, which include using local plants and imitating the process of how forests regenerate naturally, as compared to more conventional methods of forest plantation and it has certain important advantages.
The goals of a Miyawaki technique include improving biodiversity, sequestering carbon, increasing green cover, lowering air pollution and preserving the water table,” said Gupta.
Gupta said that besides checking environmental pollution, the bagichis are helping in improving groundwater recharge, thereby improving the overall soil health of the state. He said that these bagichis are a real tribute to Guru Nanak Dev who encouraged protecting air, water, biodiversity and forests through his teachings.
The forest department’s other notable initiative is setting up ‘Pavitar Van’, under which 400 saplings are planted in one to two and a half acres of land owned by the government, panchayat or institutions.
In these mini-forests, which commemorate the 400th birth centenary of Guru Teg Bahadur, 400 native plants create a kind of sacred grove. The maintenance is carried out by the land-owning agency.
The idea is to enrich the biodiversity of the state which is lacking in urban areas due to rapid urbanization.
The state govt has also set up 16 nature awareness parks, each spread over around two hectares of land close to the urban areas. These have walking trails and other civic amenities created by the forest department to bring people close to nature and get a feel of a real forest. The govt is also giving saplings to people under the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Haryavali Lehar scheme to encourage them to undertake plantation activities.