Islamabad
The members, friends and families of the Islamabad Devcom Centennial Club (IDCLC) and the students of Roots Ivy University College planted 100 saplings of different plants at a green belt next to the Shalimar cricket ground at the Margalla Road on this evening.
Despite of road blockades due to protests against the government, the youth enthusiastically launched the campaign “Grow a plant, own a tree” with a tree plantation. The maiden initiative is being supported by the Development Communications Network (Devcom-Pakistan) and Capital Development Authority (CDA) to mark the centennial celebrations of the Lions Club International.
Well-known actor, director and visual artist Jamal Shah was the chief guest on the occasion. He was accompanied by the Devcom-Pakistan Executive Director Munir Ahmed, CDA Director Forests Muhammad Altaf, LCI District 305N2 chief organizer Tariq Mughal, Zonal Chairperson Sibtain Raza Lodhi and Roots Ivy Administration Manager Sana Khattak.
The president IDCLC Shaaref Munir briefing about the campaign said, “Millions saplings are planted in every season of tree plantation, but hardly a few per cent survive due to lack of ownership by the people. We aspire to engage our fellows and mates to help grow plants, so that after a few years they shall own a tree. We wish to inculcate a spirit in the youth that the trees are as valuable assets as having money or a house”.
Jamal Shah believed that the concept would go long way to educate youth about the sustainability of our environment. It would create awareness among the youth and other folks the importance of trees in our lives.
He said it is a good sign that students, academia, governmental and non-governmental organisations are working together for a positive change in our environment and society. Devcom-Pakistan Executive Director Munir Ahmed said that sensitizing and engaging youth in civic and environmental friendly activities would develop a phenomenal spirit of active citizenry. The success of the campaign depends on the active engagement of the youth in follow up and post-plantation care of the saplings. The respective educational institutions should infuse a spirit in their students to go to see their plants at least once a week. We also need to stop the indiscriminate tree cutting all over Pakistan. The timber cartels and mafia are all out to deforestation, and our mountains are the most affected ones. It is causing localized land-sliding, GLOF and flash floods that have affected thousands of households. We need to raise voice loud enough to get the government departments urgently stop indiscriminate tree-cutting.
Haares Munir, the campaign chairperson, said that the IDCLC have developed a comprehensive plan to engage different schools in tree plantation with the slogan ‘grown a plant, own a tree’.
One of the participants Maheen Khan said it is a different idea of plantation. I have two saplings planted. I am told they are mine as far as I have to take care of it. It would be so soothing to seeing them grow to become big trees. It would be my contribution to the society.
Hazzik Ali believes if every person starts helping grow one plant, soon we will have 200 million trees added to the green inventory of our country. Let’s throw back to the society what we own as a citizen.
