Massive plantation campaign planned

Our correspondent

Islamabad: The Ministry of Climate Change plans to launch massive afforestation campaign on September 2 in which trees will be planted and distributed all across the country.

The plan was discussed at a provincial meeting held at Ministry of Climate Change on Monday. The meeting was chaired by Advisor to Prime Minister Amin Aslam. The launch date will be confirmed after approval from the Prime Minister.

The purpose of campaign is to encourage people, communities, organisations, business and industry, civil society and government to collectively plant trees for creating awareness about benefits of forests and to increase forest cover in big cities of the country. The focus would be to plant species according to area and weather conditions. Earlier in cabinet meeting, it was decided to start mass tree plantation. Under this campaign, all provinces will establish free distribution points for citizen two days before the launch day. A massive media campaign would also be launched to create public awareness.

Speaking to the participants of the meeting, Advisor to Prime Minister Amin Aslam said that ‘Billion Tree Tsunami’ is a success story recognised at national and international level. “Now we have to spread this programme to whole country,” he said highlighting that Green Pakistan Programme will be integrated into ‘10 Billion Tree Tsunami.’

He further emphasised that monitoring of plants is very important with plantation. He also mentioned that the Ministry would write to chief ministers to inaugurate this mass afforestation on September 2 in their respective provinces.

He also instructed to include all institutions in this important task. National Highway authority was asked to plant trees on some points along Motorways and Highways. He also directed the provinces to provide targets for massive afforestation for September 2, 2018. The meeting also featured a detailed presentation about September 2 massive tree plantation by the Green Pakistan Programme.