Punjab to Launch Floral Highway Plantation Pilot, Plans 3.5 Lakh Saplings per District in 2025-26: Forest Minister Kataruchak
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, July 7, 2025 – Punjab Forest and Wildlife Preservation Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak on Monday revealed that the state is working on a series of green initiatives for 2025-26, including the possibility of a pilot project to plant large flowering saplings along major highways.
Chairing a meeting at the Forest Complex in Sector 68, the Minister said that roads being considered for the pilot include Sangrur, Jalandhar-Amritsar, Pathankot-Amritsar, Sri Anandpur Sahib, and the Phagwara-Chandigarh road near Khatkar Kalan. The project aims to enhance visual aesthetics and promote biodiversity along highways.
Highlighting the government’s major plantation initiative for the upcoming year, Kataruchak said that under the ‘Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji Haryaval Sankalp’, each district of Punjab will plant 3.5 lakh saplings during 2025-26. This campaign is part of the broader effort to expand forest cover and increase environmental awareness across the state.
In a tribute to renowned Punjabi poet Shiv Kumar Batalvi, a state-level poetry contest will be organized on July 23 in Batala—his birthplace. The contest, themed on tree plantation and environmental protection, will see participation from school and college students, with cash prizes awarded to top winners in each category.
The Minister also reviewed plans to celebrate Van Mahotsav in every district, where saplings will be offered to citizens at a nominal rate of ₹2 each. He emphasized the need to encourage Agro Forestry, noting that such practices not only promote biodiversity but also create sustainable green income sources for farmers.
Key plantation targets for the year include:
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582 hectares under Compensatory Afforestation
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50 hectares of soil and water conservation in Pathankot
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3.31 lakh saplings under Green Punjab Mission to be planted in schools, colleges, Punjab Mandi Board, and Markfed lands
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Establishment of 52 Pavittar Vans under the Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Pavittar Van scheme
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289 Nanak Bagichis in educational institutions and 93 in industrial areas
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2.5 lakh saplings of Popular and Drek along link roads
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3 lakh Eucalyptus saplings in identified zones
The Minister underlined the need to cultivate a culture of environmental responsibility among citizens, stressing that "protecting the environment is essential for leaving a healthier future for generations to come."
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Dharminder Sharma, APCCF & CEO PUNCAMPA Saurav Gupta, APCCF (Administration) Basanta Raj Kumar, CCF (Hills) Nidhi Srivastava, and CF Shivalik Circle Kannan were present at the meeting.