Work starts to plant 500,000 saplings in model park

Islamabad : The civic agency has formally launched a campaign to plant 500,000 saplings in a model forestry park in Malpur measuring 350 acres of land in the capital city.

According to the details, the environment wing of the civic agency has started pit digging in most of the areas of the park that has been established to increase green cover and protect state land from encroachment.

The park will be easily accessible from Murree Expressway and it will also serve as an alternative to those who find it difficult to scale Margalla hills.

The initial details shared by the civic agency showed that the project would ultimately cost around Rs1,164 million involving construction of nursery, plantation and maintenance of trees and purchase of machinery and equipment. In all, 73 staff members will take care of the park with the help of 50 CCTV cameras that would be installed at different locations.

Some 7.75 kilometre area of the forestry park will be fenced, out of which fencing of 5.75 km area has already been completed while work in the remaining area is in progress, which would also be completed shortly.

For the safeguard and protection of forest land, cemented pillars are being used for fixation of steel fence. The fencing will not only help protect forest land from encroachment but will also help maintain green character of the area.

While commenting over the plantation process an official has said that the main purpose behind building this forestry park is to provide a public space for recreation and avoid encroachment on state-owned land.

He said, “We will try our best to ensure high survival rate of plants. The construction of a tube-well is also underway and it will help provide water to newly planted saplings of various plant species.”