Monsoon plantation drive begins today
As many as 37 million saplings will be planted during the monsoon tree plantation campaign in Punjab.
Prime Minister Imran Khan will launch the tree plantation campaign, according to officials.
As per details obtained by The Express Tribune, thousands of saplings will be planted today in districts across the province as part of the target of 37 million plants during the campaign
The Punjab Forest Department has completed preparations for launching the Plant for Pakistan drive on Friday on the directives of the Federal Ministry of Climate Change. Reportedly, events will be held in the provincial capital, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Sahiwal, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan and Bahawalpur. A total of 2,500 saplings will be planted in each of the selected districts.
Similarly, about 27,000 saplings will be planted during the day in the 27 other districts of Punjab -- 1,000 in each district.
Normal rainfall expected during monsoon
Division Forest Officer Mohammad Saleem said that apart from the plantation, 244 distribution points had been set up in the province where 244,000 plants would be provided to the citizens free of cost.
As many as 100,000 saplings will be planted in irrigated areas of Punjab, including Changa Manga, Pipli Pahar, Shorkot, Mandi Bahauddin, Kamalia, Toba Tek Singh, Chichawatni, Pakpattan, Peruwal, Abbasia, Qasimwala, Layyah, Rajanpur, Bahawalpur, Bhakkar, Mianwali and Khushab, he further said.
On the first day, 25,000 plants will be distributed in educational and health institutions of Punjab.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 17th, 2020.