In news- The Haryana government came out with a unique and first of its kind initiative called Pran Vayu Devta Pension Scheme (PVDPS).
About the scheme-
- It is an initiative to honour all those trees which are of the age of 75 years and above and have served humanity throughout their life.
- Such trees will be identified throughout the state and these will be looked after by involving local people.
- For maintenance of such trees, a “pension amount” of Rs 2,500 would be given per year to village panchayats in the name of PVDPS.
- This ‘tree pension’ shall continue to increase every year.
- To get pure air from the environment, Oxy Van (Oxy Forests) will be planted on land ranging from 5 acres to 100 acres in the cities of Haryana.
- Oxy Van, Karnal, shall come up along the Old Badshahi Canal (also known as Mughal Canal), on an area of 80 acres, covering a total length of 4.2 km.
- This park will have components named: Chit Van (Forest of Beauty), Paakhi Van (Forest of Birds), Antriksh Van (Forest of Zodiac Signs), Tapo Van (Forest of Meditation), Arogya Van (Healing/herbal Forest), Neer Van (Forest of Waterfalls), Rishi Van (Sapt Rishi), Panchavati (Five Trees), Smaran Van (Forest of Memories), and Sugandh Suvaas/Sugandh Van (Forest of Fragrance).
- The total cost of this project in Karnal shall be Rs 5 crore, and it will be a joint venture of Haryana Forest Department, the Government of India, and the Municipal Committee, Karnal.
- The scheme helps in reducing ‘Heat Island Effect’ and bad air quality and helps in overcoming the oxygen shortage in future.
Source: IE
