ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Minister for Climate Change Zahid Hamid on Wednesday said that the national tree plantation campaign will start from August 14.
“The Prime Minister will launch Green Pakistan Program along with the inauguration of the Monsoon Tree Planting Campaign 2016,” he said while chairing an inter-provincial meeting held at Ministry of Climate Change on Monsoon Tree Plantation Campaign and Green Pakistan Program.
It was also decided in the meeting that federal, provincial and local governments will make arrangements for planting trees in Islamabad, provincial, divisional, district and tehsil headquarters.
The suitable sites will be selected at each station and provide necessary facilities for tree planting by the government servants.
In Islamabad, CDA will make arrangements and organize special events for planting saplings by federal government employees, students, NGO’s and general public.
CDA will communicate information on planting arrangements and events to Ministry of Climate Change for its timely circulation and coordination.
The meeting also reviewed progress of spring Tree planting 2016. The Punjab Forestry Department planted 12.09 million trees and out of which 10.1 million survived.
The Sindh Forest Department set targets of 7.1 million and planted 4.35 million trees.
The Balochistan Forest Department set target of 1.5 million, planted 1.093 million.
The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Forest Department set target of 1.3 million, planted 3.157. The Forest Department of FATA set target of 4 million, planted 4.389 million.
The Forest Departments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forest departments set targets of 123 million planted 175.64 million and secured 75 million. Gilgit Baltistan planned 1.1 million, planted 0.711 million trees.
It was also informed to the participants during the meeting that to enable various government departments/agencies to concentrate on tree planting, special planting days are fixed.
Monsoon Tree Planting Campaign would be inaugurated on August 14 at national level. Then August, 15 will be fixed for armed forces, police and civil armed services, August 16 for local bodies, corporations, municipalities, autonomous/semi-autonomous bodies and industrial estate, August 17 for health services, hospitals, dispensaries, livestock departments/farms and agriculture farms, August 18 for Auqaf Department, civil Aviation Department, jail authorities and August 19 for educational institutions, schools, colleges and universities.
To ensure keen participation of general public in tree planting drive the provincial Forest departments will publish special articles and take part in talk shows to enhance the importance of tree plantation.
The Secretary of Ministry of Climate Change Syed Ahmed Abu Akif, Inspector General Forests Syed Mehmood Nasir, representatives of provincial forestry and planning departments, representatives of ministry of defense, national highway authority, International Union of Conservation of Forests were present in the meeting.
