SC seeks details of Billion Tree Tsunami project

By News Desk

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday took notice and sought details of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s Billion Tree Tsunami project in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Hearing a case pertaining to tree plantation near rivers and canals, a two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Ijazul Ahsan also summoned the secretary of the Ministry of Climate Change and issued contempt of court notices to Sindh and Punjab governments over their failure to submit a report on the matter.

“There are no trees in Nathia Gali, Malam Jabba, and even Murree,” observed the top judge, questioning the Billion Tree Tsunami project. “The Islamabad administration boasts planting 500,000 trees but they are nowhere to be seen,” he remarked. “Were they planted in Bani Gala? There are no trees planted along the rivers from Islamabad to Karachi. There are no trees in Peshawar and there is deforestation going on in Nathia Gali.”

The bench sought details of the funds spent on the Billion Tree Tsunami project, including records of expenditure and their justification, and count of trees planted along with photographic evidence i.e. satellite view. The apex court also ordered the Sindh government to plant trees along lakes and highways.

It is pertinent to mention here that the federal government has allocated more than Rs125 billion for the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami programme. In the first phase that will last for four years 3.29 billion saplings will be planted.

According to the plan set by the government, Rs109.38 billion will be spent on forest development. The provinces will fund the massive project with more than Rs38 billion.

For preserving the forest life Rs15.59 billion will be granted and separately Rs210 million will be fixed for the payment of the Green Pakistan Programme. Under the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami programme, Rs26 billion and Rs27 billion will be used in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, respectively. Another Rs16 billion will be spent on the project in Balochistan. In Sindh, Rs5 billion will be used for tackling the effects of climate change. A massive share of Rs33 billion will be granted to the programme in Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.