A picture of neglect, Amritsar green belts cry for attention
AMRITSAR:With green belts in the city losing their sheen due to lack of maintenance, resident’s hope to transform Amritsar into a green city seems like a distant dream.
Despite tall claims by the authorities to make the holy city rich in terms of greenery, vast stretches of green belts across the city present a different picture. With dried plants and trees, garbage is seen dumped at several greenbelts on road sides, dividers and under bridges.
The green belts at key areas like Ranjit Avenue, Grand Trunk Road, Mall Road, Majitha Road, Walled City, and Green Avenue have become an eyesore. The condition is even worse at the ISBT stretch under the elevated road.
The sorry state of affairs can be attributed to lack of efforts to maintain these green belts in the city.
Around four years back, a green belt was established on a vacant place under the elevated road by the horticulture wing of the public works department. The project, however, was later handed over to Amritsar Smart City Ltd (ASCL) for maintenance, who were unable to maintain it. “Ever since the green belt was taken over by the smart city officials, it was completely ignored. The plants are not watered and dust and car- bon particles emitted by the vehicles passing along the belt would further harm the plants,” claimed Kulwant Singh Ankhi, a social worker. He urged the authorities to make necessary arrangements for washing and watering of plants of green belts across the city and added that dried plants should be replaced with new at the earliest.
Vikramjit Singh, another social worker from the city, said, “Only authorities are not to be blamed for this. People should be more responsible and they can contribute in plantation drives. The greenery not only looks good but also saves our environment.”
On the allegations of lack of upkeep, ASCL CEO Komal Mittal said, “We have made plans to restore green belts and this will be done soon. New plants will be replanted and timely maintenance will be ensured. We will also plant trees on vacant land.”
Deputy commissioner Kamaldeep Singh Sangha, said the administration was already carrying out a plantation drive. “Roads leading to Amritsar will be beautified with flowering plants and results will be visible in two years. Belts that have dried up will be replanted soon,” he added.