Chandigarh, Feb. 27 -- The long-lasting adverse impacts of single-use plastic on the environment and human health reverberated in the Haryana assembly on Thursday even as chief minister Nayab Singh Saini made an impassioned appeal for a united effort to beat the plastic menace. Addressing members on Day 5 of the ongoing budget session, Saini expressed serious concern over the increasing use of disposable plastic, warning that it posed grave environmental hazards and significant health risks. Citing the consistent push by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to eliminate single-use plastic as a national priority, the chief minister termed the issue "extremely important" and urged legislators across party lines to take the lead in educating citizens about shunning plastic in daily life. Saini appealed to all members to actively work towards this cause, underlining that meaningful change can only be achieved through united and sustained efforts. The issue emerged during the Question Hour when the government was responding to a question of Congress MLA Geeta Bhukkal (Jhajjar), who wanted to know the steps being taken by the government to supply clean potable water in the villages of her constituency. In response, environment minister Rao Narbir Singh urged Bhukkal to take a lead in stopping polythene bags, which were already banned in the state, and help the government's drive against single-use plastic. At this, chief minister Saini interjected, stating that the state government had been creating awareness among people to stop using plastic as it was at the root of a plethora of environmental and health problems. During the session, chief minister Nayab Singh Saini reiterated that the state government was providing timely compensation to its farmers to safeguard their livelihoods. Responding to a question raised by MLA Balram Dangi, Saini said the government had disbursed approximately Rs.6.5 crore as compensation to farmers of the Meham assembly constituency. Taking a dig at the Opposition, Saini said when the Congress was in power, the patwari used to prepare the crop loss lists without visiting the fields. In contrast, he said, the present government had defined clear responsibilities for patwaris and was holding them accountable for any negligence. Saini said patwaris were now required to submit written reports to the government whenever a farmer's crop was damaged. Further, slabs had been created for compensation and the government was ensuring it reached the farmers. The CM said action will be taken against revenue officials if found negligent, assuring that if any farmer was left out, crop loss compensation will still be given to them. Responding to a question of Aditya Surjewala, Kaithal segment MLA of the Congress, Haryana health minister Arti Singh Rao informed the assembly that as of February 20, 2026, the total number of active Ayushman cards in the state stood at over 1.38 crore. She said the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana provided 2,694 treatment packages covering surgical procedures, day-care treatments, medicines and diagnostic tests. Speaking about state-level healthcare reforms, the minister said a department of cancer sciences will be set up at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Health Science University, Kutail, and a cath lab will be established on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis at Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College (KCGMC), Karnal. Rao said KCGMC will also start super-specialty interventional cardiology services, including cardio-thoracic surgery, through the PPP model. The tendering process for this project is currently underway. She further said a joint Request for Proposal (RFP) had been issued to establish cath labs under the PPP model in all medical colleges across the state, while cancer day-care centres had already been set up in all civil hospitals even as PGIMS Rohtak, Atal Cancer Hospital Ambala and AIIMS Badsa were also providing treatment to cancer patients in the state....