Celebration of Van Mahotsav in Chamba Highlights Environmental Conservation Efforts
Van Mahotsav Celebrations in Turkra
Subhash Mahajan
Chamba
The 77th district-level Van Mahotsav was celebrated with enthusiasm in Gram Panchayat Turkra, located in the Bhatiyat Assembly constituency. The event was organized by the Chamba Forest Division and inaugurated by Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania, who served as the chief guest. He commenced the festival with traditional prayers and planted a sapling of Chambe ka Ped.
During his address, Speaker Pathania underscored the significance of conserving water, forests, and land to maintain environmental balance. He highlighted the state government's Rajiv Gandhi Van Samvardhan Yojana, initiated last year to promote community involvement in forest management and expansion. He pointed out that self-help groups, women's organizations, youth clubs, and village forest committees are benefiting from this initiative, gaining livelihood opportunities while contributing to conservation efforts.
He urged the community to refrain from setting forest fires and to promptly report any such incidents to the forest department. Additionally, he called for extensive plantation efforts during the current season.
On the topic of development in Bhatiyat, Pathania mentioned that ₹109 crore is allocated under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana to connect nearly 50 villages with road infrastructure, with plans to link another 50 villages in the next 18 months. He also shared that ₹4 crore has been allocated for the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Chamba–Chuwari tunnel, with land acquisition currently in progress. This 13-km tunnel, estimated to cost around ₹2,600 crore, will be constructed on a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) basis. Efforts are underway to bring the Dramman–Chuwari–Chamba road under the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for improved connectivity.
Pathania announced that the proposed sports stadium at Chuwari has received the necessary forest clearance, with ₹67 lakh already deposited, and construction tenders will be issued soon, aiming for completion by June 2027.
Regarding healthcare, Pathania noted that 8 doctors are currently providing 24-hour services at the Civil Hospital Chuwari. A CT scan facility will be introduced soon, and plans are in place to replace the old hospital building with a new one. He added that ₹20 crore is being invested in constructing the Primary Health Centre at Samot, expected to be completed by December, offering round-the-clock services. The Singhuta PHC will also be upgraded to a 25-bed Community Health Centre.
In response to local requests, he assured the construction of a playground for the Government Primary School Turkra, a community hall in the panchayat, a road to Chodna village, and a rain shelter.
Earlier, Forest Conservator Rakesh Kumar welcomed the chief guest and shared insights about the festival, emphasizing the need for public cooperation in preventing forest fires and protecting wildlife. State Forest Corporation Director Krishna Chand Chela also addressed the attendees, while DFO Kuldeep Jamwal expressed gratitude to all participants for their contributions to the event's success.
The program was attended by notable figures including BDC Bhatiyat Chairman Lal Singh, Nagar Panchayat Chuwari Chairperson Nikita Jamwal, Vice-Chairman Surender Chadak, Block Congress leaders Vijay Kanwar and Mayank Mahajan, Block Mahila Congress President Shalu Sharma, SDM Bhatiyat Manish Soni, DSP Sher Singh, engineers, and officers from PWD, HPSEBL, and other departments, along with Panchayat representatives and local residents.