Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria took a dig at officials today. Speaking at the ‘Van Mahotsav’ (Forest Festival) ceremony in Chandigarh, the Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh openly questioned the government’s claims. Commenting on the statistics regarding tree plantations, the Governor remarked that if one were to aggregate the government’s claims of annual sapling plantations, not a single inch of vacant land would remain in the city.
He noted that Chandigarh is fortunate to still possess 50-year-old banyan trees, which must be preserved at all costs. He highlighted the ongoing environmental degradation, citing the ice *Shivling* at the Amarnath Cave as a prime example. While devotees used to trek on foot for *darshan* in the past, the approximately 7-foot-tall *Shivling* melted away in just three days this time.
Administrator Kataria pointed out that the department routinely claims to have planted lakhs or even crores of saplings during the Van Mahotsav. He remarked sarcastically that if one were to tally these figures, there would be no empty land left. Questioning the Forest Department’s claims, Kataria advised officials to focus on the actual situation. He observed that while impressive figures regarding mass plantation drives are presented annually, the impact is not visible on the ground. Had crores of saplings actually been planted as claimed in previous years, no vacant land would be visible in the city or its surrounding areas. He urged officials to focus on tangible work rather than exaggerating achievements.
He further stated that merely garnering accolades based on reports and statistics is insufficient. Citing examples, he noted that hills and green zones in many areas have not yet been developed to the expected standard. Kataria remarked that officials often make exaggerated claims, whereas the reality is quite different.
