MANSEHRA: The district administration has planted around one million saplings across Mansehra during the ongoing tree plantation drive launched here earlier this month.
“We have adopted a multipronged strategy to achieve our target and so far planted around a million trees across the district,” Qasim Ali Khan, the deputy commissioner, told reporters after planting a sapling at the District Food Controller’s offices here on Monday.
He said that district administration had divided the ongoing tree plantation drive into the five major components based on the different ideas to involve schoolchildren, non-governmental organisations, women and even tourists coming to enjoy the natural beauty here.
“We have planted over 400,000 saplings under the “Cradle a tree” and 550,000 trees under the Sarsabz Mansehra programmes through the Assistant Commissioners, additional assistant commissioner and civil society organisations,” said the deputy commissioner.
He said that two more components of strategy “Your signature on the earth” and photo competitions were being launched henceforth. “We will provide saplings to visitors and tourists who could plant it along the Hazara Expressway, Siren valley, Shergar, Bisian Balakot, Garhi Habibullah and Malkandi Balakot with own names and signatures which would be preserved forever,” said the official.
The deputy commissioner said under the photo competition programme, the citizens would share their own pictures made during the plantation with district administration and one of them would be chosen for the award.
The District Food Controller Shad Mohammad and Assistant Food Controller Shaukat Sultan earlier briefed the deputy commissioner about their department’s role in the tree plantation drive. The Flour Mills Associations President Bashir Awan gifted over 1000 fruit saplings to the deputy commissioner for the ongoing drive.