‘Students to get 20 marks for planting trees’

Zartaj Gul says legislation will be proposed to make plantation compulsory

ISLAMABAD:

Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul said on Sunday that in order to integrate the youth of the country in the prime minister's (PM) Ten Billion Tree Tsunami plantation project, a special legislation allowing 20 additional marks on planting 20 trees during their studies was underway.

The minister said that for the success of the Clean and Green Pakistan movement, active participation of all sections of the society was being ensured.

She stated that along with other measures taken by the Ministry of Climate Change to promote the natural environment, it also intended to introduce a bill to ensure full participation of the youth in the green movement, according to which young students would be proposed to give honourary marks in return for planting trees.

Explaining the proposed scheme, Zartaj said that as extra marks were given to the students involved in National Cadet Corps (NCC), additional marks would also be given to students for planting trees as part of educational activities.

"Programmes like '20 Plants, 20 Numbers' will not only encourage the youth to be a part of this national goal, but will also fulfill the dream of making Pakistan a green and prosperous country," she maintained.

The minister informed that in line with the PM’s clean and green Pakistan vision the idea was proposed to bound university students to plant 20 trees during their course of study.

Zartaj said the legislation would make 20 saplings compulsory for a university graduate where the university and district administration would help them locate feasible sites for the plantation.

Full participation of the youth in the movement to plant more trees in the country would be encouraged through this legislation, she maintained.

She said that PM wanted to make the future of coming generations safe and sustainable through nature conservation. "PM Imran Khan not only presented the idea of a clean, green and prosperous Pakistan, but put it into practice.

He has introduced a number of revolutionary initiatives for environmental preservation," the minister added.

Zartaj said under this scheme, millions of saplings could be planted every year which would prove to be a valuable asset for the future of the country and future generations.

APP