Save Mattewara forest, Punjab speaker writes to CM Mann

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

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 called for “concrete steps” for increasing the state’s forest cover from the present 3.67% to 33%, “which is on a par with other states”.

In his letter, the speaker said that several civil society organisations have written to him, complaining that the previous governments repeatedly ignored their pleas on conserving the Mattewara forest in Ludhiana. (HT File Photo)

In his letter, the speaker said that several civil society organisations have written to him, complaining that the previous governments repeatedly ignored their pleas, due to which the destruction of Mattewara forest and pollution of Sutlej waters looked inevitable.

Sandhwan said that after the issue was raised in the recent Punjab Vidhan Sabha session, the CM had assured that chemical producing industries would not be allowed in the region.

Asking the CM to take stronger steps, the speaker said that it would show the sensitivity of the Aam Aadmi Party government, which was elected to give heed to the common man’s voice, towards a problem that is related to the health of the masses and protection of environment and ecology.