Punjab and Haryana's green initiatives

Three new protected areas in Punjab

The Forest and Wildlife Preservation Minister of Punjab, Tikshan Sood outlined the bondaries and location of the three new protected areas as below:

Kathlaur-Kushlian Wildlife Sanctuary – that includes forests of 346 acres in Kushlian, 1550 acres in Kathlaur and adjoining area of villages Raipur, Bahadurpur and Jaswa in Tehsil Pathankot, District Gurdaspur.

Keshopur Miani Wetland Community Reserve - of 850 acres of Panchayat area of Miani, Keshopur, Matwa, Dalla and Magarmudian in Tehsil and Gurdaspur district.

Lalwan Community Reserve – that covers 3167 acres of village Lalwan, Tehsil Garhshankar, District Hoshiarpur.

Source: http://news.oneindia.in/2007/06/14/three-more-protected-forest-areas-in-punjab-1181833558.html


Punjab and Haryana go organic

The Haryana government has sanctioned a budget of Rs 3 crores to promote vermiculture while Punjab is focusing on neem as an organic pesticide.

Haryana plans to set up vermi-hatcheries in 25 centres at a cost of Rs 1.5 lakh / hatchery and offer earthworms free to farmers. The government is offering incentives like organic farming certification.

With 12 lakh neem trees, the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST) is all set to start pilot trials using 70 tonnes of neem. The initiative in Punjab has been supported by the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers and United Nations Industrial Development Organisation.

Sources: http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=241696
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=166657


Chandigarh to become India’s first eco-friendly, smoke free city

The Tourism Department of Chandigarh and the Chandigarh Administration are working hard to transform Chandigarh into an eco-friendly, smoke free city.

Eco-friendly projects in the pipeline include greening Sukhna Lake, increasing green spaces, restricting entry to Nepli and Kansal forests that envelope the city and lots of other green steps.

For a city that is already well known as India’s greenest, cleanest and well designed city, doing the eco-friendly, smoke free makeover will be just that small step that Chandigarh needs to take, to lead India’s urban eco-friendly initiatives.

Sources : The Pioneer, Saturday, 16 June 2007
http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newsid=45431&newstype=local