The drive started from the green belt in University Town where more than 400 saplings were planted. Youth volunteers said an increase in construction has reduced the number of trees in Peshawar which is resulting in a multitude of environmental problems. Rabia Khan, a student at Khyber Medical College (KMC), participated in the drive and said increasing pollution is affecting public health.
Quoting a District Health Information Systems report, Rabia said respiratory infections have become more common than any other disease in K-P. She said vehicles need to go through emission tests to avoid the rapid deterioration of the quality of air. “There is a need to protect the greenery in the city and a coordinated effort is needed to make the tree plantation campaign a success,” said K-P NYA Governor Ahsan Hamid, adding the NYA has 22,000 active members across the province to actively plant and protect trees.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 3rd, 2013.
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