Chandigarh(Punjab): Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha member and noted environmentalist Saint Balbir Singh Seechewal in a Facebook post on Thursday said that Mattewara forests in Punjab would not be allowed to be destroyed.
Saint Balbir Singh Seechewal wrote, "Matewara forest will not be destroyed and no progress can be made by destroying nature. However, the decision is currently pending with the National Green Tribunal. Punjab is already going through a very critical environment since the forest cover in the state has come down to 6 percent from 40 percent due to indiscriminate deforestation and illegal occupation of forest lands. That makes four trees per person, while ten trees are required. The issue of the Mattewara forest would also be discussed with the Punjab Chief Minister."
The previous Congress government had given the approval to bring the textile project to Mattewara which Bhagwant Mann himself used to oppose while being in the opposition party. The local villagers, NGOs, and environmentalists have started protesting against the mega textile park being set up near the Mattewara Forest in the Koom Kalan area.
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A Public Action Committee was constituted against Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Maan's approval of the textile park. Sangrur MP Simranjit's son reached the forests of Mattewara to take stock of the situation on Thursday. Meanwhile, they announced that they would be working in collaboration with the Public Action Committee along with other environmentalists and would hold a large gathering in presence of MP Simranjit Singh Mann here on July 10 against the Bhagwant Mann government to save Matewara forest.
There is a severe shortage of forest cover in Punjab and what is left is also being destroyed. Machhiwara Mattewara forest in particular has also been associated with Sikh Gurus who are now opposing a textile park here. Not only social organizations, and environmentalists but also opposition parties are protesting against the AAP government's decision.
Punjab Vidhan Sabha speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan on Saturday wrote a letter to chief minister Bhagwant Mann, urging him to save the Mattewara forest on the banks of Sutlej in Ludhiana district. He also said to take firm steps for increasing the state’s forest cover from the present 3.67 percent to 33 percent, on par with other states.
Shiromani Akali Dal's former Minister Mashendir Singh Grewal said that AAP government chief minister Bhagwant Mann has gone back on his words since he had been opposing this textile project when he was in the opposition. However, the Maan government at present took a U-turn and had also accepted the green manifesto submitted to it on behalf of the Public Action Committee which had called for eco-tourism projects ahead of the assembly elections.
