PESHAWAR, Pakistan: Trees plantations campaign was started in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa wherein 70.055 million saplings of different species would be sown during ongoing monsoon season with the help of different departments and stakeholders in order to offset the growing effects of global warming and climatic change in the country.
A senior official of Forest Department KPK told the state-run news agency on Wednesday that a target of 70.055 million has been set for monsoon 2017 campaign that would be achieved with the help of educational institutes, farmers, general public, NGOs, defence forces and other stakeholders to counterbalance the growing effects of global warming and climate change.
“We have put summary to the Chief Minister KP for formally inauguration of the monsoon campaign and he would likely to formally inaugurate it shortly.”
“A huge stock of 70.055 million fit plants raised in departmental and private nurseries was available with Forest Department for monsoon campaign and are being distributed among departments and relevant stakeholders.”
The southern circle has been given 11.194 million target, 12.751million to Lower Hazara Circle, 10.967 million to Upper Hazara Circle and 18.266 million to watershed management circle respectively. Likewise, 14.163 million saplings would be planted in Malakand East circle and 2.714 million to Malakand West Circle.
The civil society organizations, educational institutions, madaras, industries, government departments, defence forces, village developmental committees, forest owners associations, local government institutions, autonomous bodies like NHA and other allied sectors would be motivated to carrying out paintings in their own lands, office premises, along roads, canals and railways tracks and assured that forest department would provide plants and technical guidance to them.
As many as 59.998 million saplings would be sown with the help of Forest Department, 1.402 million through defence forces, 1.665 million educational institutions, 6.486 million village developmental committees (VDCs), 2.105 million NGOs and other organizations and 5.096 million farmers and general public respectively.
The Community Development and Extension Directorate have been tasked to mount cost effective and impressive information and motivate drive for public opinion for maximum sowing of plants besides protection of planted saplings in KP.
The organized committees would be mandated to carry out 1-5 acres plantings in their lands whereas the Directorate of Human Resource Development would organize special trainings to create awareness and improve skills of stakeholders.
The Directorate Community Development and GAD will disseminate information amongst all stakeholders regarding plantation drives and importance of forestry, trees, biodiversity, advocacy and awareness campaigns across the province.
“We are making special focus on plantations in roadside, graveyards, educational institutes including schools, colleges and universities, parks and canal sides to control environmental pollutions in cities.”
The forest officers have been directed to visit educational institutes besides attending programmes on Radios and TV channels to disseminate information and highlight importance of forestry in socio-economic development of masses. Print and Electronic media has been requested to highlight importance of forestry resources besides motivating masses towards plantations.
The official called for boosting tree plantation for protecting humans, animals and plants from dangerous effects of global warming, climate change and desertification.
He said if any person plant at least five saplings and look after it, than one billion plants would be soon in a year. To a question, the official said 158.780 million saplings were planted during last spring season with an excellent survival results.
