KU to take part in 10-billion-tree tsunami project

The University of Karachi is taking part in the Ten-Billion-Tree Tsunami Project (TBTTP) by offering 25 acres of land for urban forest and block plantation in Karachi University, and the Sindh Forest and Wildlife Department will provide saplings and technical facilities in this regard, according to a press release issued by the varsity on Tuesday.

Under the TBTTP, 6x6 feet thick forest plantation and fruit trees would be planted along with indigenous forestry. This year, the KU and the SFD will plant around 20,000 saplings of Gul Mohr, lignum, tamarind, Jungle Jaleebi, Neem, Sukun Chain, lime, dates, pomegranate, almond and other plants, while they intend to establish the forest with the help of 100,000 trees in the campus during next five years.

Sindh Secretary for Forest and Wildlife Abdul Rahim Soomro, along with Chief Conservator Dr Abdul Jabbar Kazi, Divisional Forest Officer Karachi-I Maqsood Ahmed Memon and DFO Karachi-II Gul Muhammad Junejo visited the University of Karachi on Tuesday and met acting vice chancellor Professor Dr Khalid Mahmood Iraqi.

They also visited the campus and decided that saplings’ work should be initiated during the current monsoon season. Soomro and Prof Iraqi agreed to finalise the feasibility of the project in the next few days. A memorandum of understating regarding the project would be signed in the coming weeks. The forest secretary said that this would be a gift to the University of Karachi.