Preparations underway for plantation drive

RAWALPINDI:

The three Circle Offices of Forests in Rawalpindi—North, South and Extension—have started preparations of planting 10 million trees of different varieties in the Rawalpindi division.

The initiative will be conducted under the auspices of the Clean and Green Pakistan campaign as well as the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami project.

Saplings of all kinds of wild, fruit-bearing, shady and flowering categories, which had been planted in forest nurseries since August 15, 2021, have now grown into sturdy plants.

A publicity campaign of this plantation drive will start making the rounds in January next year, with the actual plantation beginning on February 15 and continuing for two months until April 15.

Prime Minister Imran Khan will plant a tree to mark the inauguration of the campaign.

The drive will feature plantations of different species at different venues, such as pine, kail, phulai and apple being planted in dense forests across the division in the hilly tehsils of Kahuta, Kotli Satyan and Murree.

All plants will be provided free of cost to government agencies, schools, colleges, universities and police departments across the division. For the general public, these plants will be available at state nurseries and stalls from Rs2 to Rs8 each.

Forest Extension Rawalpindi Conservator Sajid Qudoos told The Express Tribune that preparations are in full swing for this spring tree-planting campaign for next year.

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The plantation drive will cover all state forests, barren tracts of government land, private forests, land on both sides of the Rawalpindi-Lahore GT Road as well as Motorway and roadsides of the main thoroughfares in Rawalpindi, he said.

“In mountainous forests, seeds of high-quality trees will be planted using the method of slingshot plantation,” said Qudoos, adding that it will be mandatory for government offices and agencies to make appropriate arrangements for plantation in their premises.

The official further said that this time, a record number of fruit-bearing and flowering trees will be planted, surpassing the records set by the previous drives in the region.

Apart from the forest department, government departments such as Rawalpindi Development Authority, Parks and Horticulture Authority, Education Department and Cantonment Boards will also participate in the campaign.

Qudoos said that the relevant authorities’ responsibility would not cease just with the plantation, but will continue in the form of monitoring and maintenance of the newly planted trees. Teams will be formed to observe progress regularly.

Departmental action will be taken against those responsible for not planting trees after obtaining them, and also against those who fail to ensure the maintenance of these plants, he said.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24^th, 2021.