‘300,000 trees to be planted in upcoming campaign’

Karachi

As many as 300,000 plants and trees will be planted across the city in next four months under the “Sarsabz-o-Pursakoon Karachi” campaign that will be carried out with the support of social, governmental and commercial organisations.

This was announced by Karachi Commissioner Syed Asif Hyder Shah while chairing a meeting in his office with government officials, civic authorities and representatives of the civil society organisations.

The commissioner said the effects of climatic changes and rising mercury levels could be effectively combated by planting trees.

He informed participants of the meeting that as per the law, cutting trees were not allowed in the city as any person found violating this order would be dealt strictly in accordance with the law.

The participants informed the commissioner about plans of their respective agencies to take part in the upcoming plantation drive in Karachi.

In this regard, different industrial estates in the city would plant around 100,000 trees; the K-Electric would plant 60,000 trees; all the cantonment boards 50,000 trees; the Defence Housing Authority 40,000 trees; the Forest Department 62,000 trees; the Parks and Horticulture Department of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) 15,000 trees; the district municipal corporations 60,000 trees; while the National Forum for Environment and Health (NFEH) would be plant around 15,000 trees.  

The commissioner formed four-member committees at district levels to look after and take necessary measures for the protection of sites, which would be selected for the plantation drive in each district of the city.

The committees would be headed by the additional commissioner-II of the respective district of the city.

These committees would brief the commissioner on the progress being made on the front of selecting sites and other details.

The commissioner said that citizens both in their individual capacity or on a collective basis should come forward and take part in the upcoming plantation drive.

In this regard, the commissioner office would provide assistance and the relevant information to all the quarters.