Youths take green plunge

LUDHIANA: With a group of young professionals taking a plunge to save the green lungs of the city, chopping of tree or burning of green belts in the city won't go unnoticed from now onwards.
These professionals have made a hashtag "#Ludhianatreechoppings" on Facebook where netizens can hashtag pictures of trees being chopped or burnt in any area of the city.
The group so far has got around 200 such tags in about a month. They take up each case with the agency or department concerned.
Amandeep Singh Bains, a young dentist and member of RBS (Rajguru, Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev) Roots, who created "#Ludhianatreechoppings", says, "Ludhiana being ranked as one of the most polluted cities in the world desperately needs to increase green cover. Trees are best solution to this problem as they purify the toxic air. However, there are numerous instances when trees are being burnt or chopped. Sometimes even saplings are set on fire".
"We as youngsters are really pained to see the killing of trees and saplings," he added.
"Since we have created the hashtag, we have got around 200 netizens tagging pictures and suggestions to #Ludhianatreechoppings."
The youngsters say after residents use the hashtag to highlight issues, they take up cases with concerned agency including GLADA, MC, railway authorities etc so that they can act on the cases.
"Shockingly, in most of the cases, gardeners with MC, junior-level officials from GLADA, and other agencies are responsible for chopping of trees and their burning. Even as we do face problems dealing with departments concerned, we are solid in our resolve to highlight this important issue in various areas of the city", said Pankaj Parashar, a software engineer from Gill road area.
They say if the tree density in the city has to increase, then chopping and burning of trees has to stop and trees planted in recent years have to be protected.
Navjot Singh, SDM, GLADA, said the case of chopping of trees in Basant Avenue has been forwarded to the forest department for action.
Box: Hashtag it
Netizens can hashtag pictures of trees being chopped or burnt in any area of the city
The group of professionals take up the cases with the agencies or departments concerned to find solution to the problem
So far around 200 netizens have brought cases of trees being chopped or burnt and have even suggested precautionary steps in this regard