Correct Answer : Option (B) - Uttarakhand
The Uttarakhand government has launched the ‘Pirul Lao-Paise Pao’ campaign to contain the raging forest fires in the state. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami launched the campaign in the Rudraprayag district on May 8, 2024. He urged the people to actively participate in the campaign and stated that cooperatives, Yuva Mangal Dal, and Van Panchayat would also take part.
Collecting Pine Leaves for Incentives :
Under the
‘Pirul Lao-Paise Pao’ campaign, local youth and villagers will collect dry Pirul (Pine tree leaves) from the forests and take them to designated Pirul collection centers. The Tehsildar, under the supervision of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, will manage these centers.
The collected Pirul will be weighed, and the villagers or youth will be paid
Rs 50 per kg, with the amount directly transferred to their bank accounts. The collected Pirul will be packed, processed, and sold to industries for further use.
Significance of Pirul Collection :
In Uttarakhand, Pirul refers to Pine tree leaves, which have been traditionally used as bedding for domestic animals, as fertilizer when mixed with cow dung, and for packaging fruits. However, due to their excellent burning capacity, they pose a significant fire threat in Pine forests.
The Uttarakhand government has established a
25-kilowatt power plant in the Chakori Dhanari village of the Uttarkashi district, which uses Pirul as a raw material to produce electricity. The state produces an estimated
23 lakh metric tonnes of Pirul annually, with the potential to generate about
200 megawatts of electricity.
