Village’s Cow dung dumping places converted into Parks
Bathinda-ย Village Bhokhra’s six parks are perfect example of the concerted efforts of villagers that has converted village’s cow-dung dumping places and garbage dumps being converted into beautiful and lush green parks. Started in 2014, the campaign to turn vacant panchayat land into parks has not only given new and clean look to the village albeit has also increased the green cover.
Appreciating the efforts of villagers, Deputy Commissioner Bathinda Diprava Lakra stated that more villages should adopt this strategy and gift their village clean and green environment. The Bhokhra is an example for others to follow wherein villagers have themselves taken the initiative and have come out with excellent results.
District Development and Panchayat Officer Rajinder Singh Jassal and BDPO Kavita Garg stated that the village sarpanch Mahinder Kaur’s son Jagmeet Singh Brar, nambardar Baljinder Singh, panchayat secretary Arvind Gargย ย and other villagers have worked hard in bringing up these parks. The garbage and cow dung dumping yards of village have been replaced with green parks.
Every park in the village covers around 2 to 4 kanals of land. Of the total 25000 acres of land covered by village, around 4800 acres is under the parks. Village panchayat has spent money from its own funds to bring up these parks and constructed boundary wall, installed interlocking tiles, fixed benches for sitting, planted saplings etc. Village’s youngsters have come forward together to design these parks on the lines of parks of Chandigarh. Presently there are around 6 parks in the village, while 3 more are on anvil.
Jagmeet Singh Brar said that the people from other villages visit Bhokhra to see these parks. Panchayats from other villages frequently ask questions on developing similar parks in their villages. he added that a village can be transformed only when all panchayat member and villagers work unanimously.
