CDA plans to remove paper mulberry trees

Islamabad: The concerned authorities are in a process to evolve an effective strategy to get rid of paper mulberry trees without violating the ban that bars cutting of trees in the federal capital, the sources said here on Friday.

“There are large numbers of paper mulberry trees especially in sectors G-6, G-7, G-8, F-9 and F-10 due to which pollen count is increasing up to dangerous level. But at the moment the civic authorities cannot remove them as the ban has been imposed on the tree cutting in Islamabad,” the sources said.

Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) is monitoring the airborne pollen in Islamabad and has installed pollen monitoring devices in different sectors of Islamabad. Peak pollen season in Islamabad starts from first week of March and ends in mid-April. Extremely high pollen concentration is recorded in March and relatively less high concentration in the month of July.

Capital Development Authority (CDA) Environment Director Irfan Niazi said they would write a letter to the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) to seek approval of cutting of paper mulberry trees from the residential sectors. “Currently, there is a ban on the cutting of trees so we cannot remove paper mulberry trees without obtaining permission from the concerned authorities,” he said.