Mobile apps to help state become greener; launch on Day of Forests

Gurvinder Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, February 14

To encourage people to grow more trees and plants, the state government is going to launch a mobile application which will facilitate residents to get plants from the government nurseries with ease.

Through the mobile app, it will be possible to check the nurseries near one’s location, and also see the number and variety of saplings available. People will also be able to book a limited number of saplings. Once the number is selected and the booking done, the information will reach the forest guard or official concerned and those saplings will be kept aside for the resident to come and pick.

The application is an extension to mobile app ‘iHariyali’, which was launched around two years ago in Ludhiana. Then, plant saplings were booked and distributed for free through the mobile app.

Saurabh Gupta, Chief Conservator of Forests, said: “The mobile application is a big step towards helping the residents to easily get the plants they want. Through this, they will be able to select the available plant species. It will encourage them to plant more saplings in their homes.”

Vishal Chauhan, Divisonal Forest Officer, Nawanshehar, who was the DFO in Ludhiana when the mobile app was launched in the district, said it was great that the moble app was being extended to benefit people in all districts of Punjab. He said the mobile app, when used in Ludhiana, helped residents get plants from nurseries. This app would serve as a conduit between residents and the Forest Department and nurseries.

Sources said the mobile app would be launched on March 21 to commemorate Forest Day.

Sources in the department said the department was planning to make a mobile app to curb the damage to forest and prevent violation of rules. It would be possible to post pictures or voice clips regarding any violation and inform the Forest Department through the app. The dept would receive the information about the coordinates of the site of complaint, allowing the team to reach the spot and take immmediate action, said the sources.

Ludhiana Divisional Forest Officer Charanjit Singh Kooner said if taken, such steps would help the state to become greener and also help protect forests.