‘9.2m saplings planted in Hazara Division’

ABBOTTABAD: Hazara Commissioner Riaz Khan Mehsud on Wednesday said that about 9.2 million saplings had been planted so far during the current spring plantation drive in eight districts of Hazara division.

Briefing journalists here, he said every segment of the society be it students, academics, ‘Tiger Force’, government employees and common people were engaged to plant the saplings. He said the eight districts of Hazara division were given plantation target of 16.316 million trees out of which 9.2 millions sapling have been planted while remaining 7.1 million would planted shortly.

The official said that in Abbottabad 3,829,000 saplings were planted out of total target of 3,900,000 while the remaining 71,000 would be planted soon. He said the Haripur district was given a target of 2,400,000 out of which 570000 have so far been planted. Mansehra district has planted 1,008,781 out of total target of 2200.000 , Battagram district has planted 3,441,682 against target of 6,406,920, Torghar has planted 140,000 out of total target of 1,160,000 while 175,000 saplings were planted in Upper Kohistan.

The official said that Lower Kohistan had achieved its target of 30,000 samplings while Kolai Pallas district had planted 14200 trees. Riaz Mehsud said that all district administrations under the supervision of divisional administration had made a comprehensive strategy by involving all the line departments and stakeholders in this campaign.

As per the direction of the provincial government, the main focus was made on the security and safety of the saplings, he said, adding that different agencies have been directed to look after the planted saplings.