Tree plantation drive kicks off in Balochistan
Balochistan kicked off tree plantation drive to plant 4.2 million trees in the current year under the Prime Minister Imran Khan's initiative of 10 Billion Tree Tsunami (10BTT) programme to promote greenery and reduce challenges and impacts of global warming in the country.
According to a provincial forest department official, around 0.2 million trees would be planted across the province in the spring plantation drive.
He said that Balochistan government would plant 0.2 saplings to ensure the plantation of maximum number of trees. “Some 10,000 trees will be planted in Gwadar district during the current plantation drive,” he added.
The department would distribute saplings among the citizens to achieve the target, the official said.
“The government will achieve the target of planting 4.2 million trees this year to make the environment clean and green in the province,” he said adding trees played major role in improving urban landscape and helping to protect the environment.
He added the government had prioritised road side areas for the drive and the forest department would focus to plant trees in schools, colleges, public parks and green belts in Quetta and other districts.
In order to engage people in the drive, the official said, “The government has decided to establish model nurseries at district level in Balochistan and the citizens would be engaged in plantation campaign through door-to-door service.”
The Balochistan government also organised, a training workshop titled "Climate Smart Agriculture" in the province from January 16, 2021 to March 18, 2021 in seven districts of the province.
The staff of agriculture department of districts, including Pishin, Mastung, Naushki, Dera Murad Jamali, Dera Allahyar, Sibi and Qilla Saifullah, would be imparted training regarding the climate resilient agriculture.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 14th, 2021.