Arrangements reviewed for grafting wild olive trees

KOHAT: Commissioner Kohat Division Syed Motasim Billah Shah visited the Orakzai tribal district on Sunday where he reviewed the arrangements for the upcoming spring tree plantation drive.

He reviewed the large-scale systematic plantation of the olive trees and successful grafting of wild olive trees in the tribal district

in the upcoming spring season starting after two months.

The commissioner, along with the officials of the district administration and the departments of Forests and Agriculture, made a detailed visit to the forests selected for grafting wild olive trees in different areas of the Orakzai.

He inspected the grafts planted in wild olive trees three months ago and congratulated the staff concerned for the extremely successful grafting.

The commissioner, besides visiting the areas that have been selected for planting olive trees and other new plants, inspected the new nursery of 3,000 olive trees in the main government nursery of Orakzai. The saplings will be planted in the upcoming plantation campaign.

The local landowners were informed about the plan for new plantation and grafting of wild olives in the entire Kohat division under the Chief Minister’s Program “Awami Agenda”.

It was informed that in the spring campaign, more than 300,000 plants would be grafted and millions of new plants planted, which would protect the environment, forests and wildlife.

Local elders and landowners appreciated this activity and assured their complete cooperation in this campaign.

Later, the commissioner directed the officials concerned to make micro-planning for this plantation and grafting campaign on the lines of the polio campaign, which will be submitted in writing in the 1st week of December.

Voluntary grafting training sessions will be arranged for students in all the boys’ high schools and colleges so that the students become familiar with forests, the environment and plants and every youth becomes a protector of the environment and plants.

The departments of Agriculture and Forests will organize training programmes in plantation and grafting for ordinary landowners and volunteers in forest areas throughout Kohat division under the supervision of the district administration.

The commissioner, the deputy commissioners of the districts concerned, would personally supervise this process.