Bilawal inaugurates urban forest scheme on Lyari River’s bank

Trees will be planted on Malir River bank in the next phase of the project

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari inaugurated on Tuesday an urban forest project near Lyari River on Tuesday.

Speaking on the occasion, he claimed the project was one of the largest urban forest schemes in the world.

Elaborating on the project, Bilawal said the first phase of the urban forest scheme was launched on the bank of Lyari River and the next phase would soon be established on the bank of Malir River.

Under the project, trees will be planted along Lyari River, up to 26 kilometres, in the first phase.

Bilawal appealed to the residents of Lyari to contribute towards making the project a success, so that it proved fruitful in curbing the hazardous impacts on the environment and reducing the temperature.

"This project is for Karachi and I will appreciate if citizens too participate in planting trees," he said. He also directed the Sindh government to take steps for reviving the lost glory of Lyari, renovating sports grounds in the locality and providing facilities to budding sportspersons in the area.

According to Sindh Forests Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, the project would help prevent the occurrence of heatwave and add to the scenic beauty of the city. He announced the government planned to initiate three more plantation drives in the Karachi.

Earlier, Shahzad Qureshi, a young entrepreneur from Karachi, had begun a project similar to the urban forest scheme in Clifton, Karachi.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 5^th, 2020.