In Punjab’s Ferozepur district, obtaining a gun licence now comes with a bizarre rider: planting saplings. District officials have made it mandatory for all applicants for gun licences to submit, along with their documents, selfies of them planting 10 saplings.
Four weeks after submitting the application, they will have to produce follow-up selfies to prove that the saplings they planted are growing well.
Explaining the rationale behind the decree, Chander Gaind, the district commissioner, said: “Looking at the reducing forest cover in Punjab, we decided to make planting of trees compulsory to obtain a gun licence."
Coincidentally, the district officials made their move on World Environment Day.
According to a report by The Indian Express, he also said Punjabis residing in Ferozepur’s border area are obsessed with guns, given the high sense of insecurity prevailing there.
Citizens in Ferozepur have about 21,000 licenced weapons, and the district commissioner’s office receives an average of 500 applications annually. However, most of these are routinely rejected on grounds of security concerns.
The selfie-with-saplings scheme will also apply to those seeking to renew their gun license every three years. Gaind said: “The scheme will ensure afforestation takes place without any added effort from the forest department.”
Of course, the applicant has to fulfill other conditions to get a gun licence, just sharing selfies with saplings would not be a guarantee.
Gaind said his office has got about 100 applications so far, meaning that 1,000 saplings have already been planted because of the initiative.
About 930 people had applied for gun licences before the rule came into vogue. Now they will also have to apply afresh after planting saplings, along with the selfies — which means the district will see at least another 9,300 saplings.
Overall, things are looking up on the environment front for this border district of Punjab, if these saplings grow into trees.
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