150,000 trees to be planted in Sindh

Nature clubs will also be set up at primary and secondary schools.


Express October 26, 2010

KARACHI: Around 150,000 trees will be planted across the province, said Sindh Environment Minister Sheikh Muhammad Afzal at a tree-planting campaign at the Government Rashid Minhas School in Liaquatabad town.

A plan has also been chalked out to set up nature clubs at primary and secondary schools across Sindh, which will be implemented shortly, he said at the “School Greening” event, which was organised by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) - Pakistan and the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) under the “Green Learn-n-Fun Programme” in collaboration with the City District Government Karachi (local body wing).

The role of teachers and children in improving the deteriorating environment should not be disregarded, said Afzal.

“God created this world as a balanced system. An over-exploitation of natural resources disturbs the balance and results in what is now commonly known climate change or global warming,” he said.

“There is a strong need for a balanced development which should not cost [us the] environment,” he added.

“Plans for social and economic uplift should not be made in violation of environmental laws,” he said.

“Tree-plantation reduces and controls pollution, but in our country, the significance [of such ventures] is seldom realised,” said MPA Rehan Zafar, adding that “the green house gases, which warm up our environment, are increasing and will [make life] intolerable in the coming years if we don’t plant trees.”

“An excessive and unchecked cutting of trees has resulted in an increase in the levels of carbon dioxide in the environment. This poses a serious threat to our lives,” said WWF-Pakistan’s Syed Ali Hasnain.

“We need to promote tree-plantation campaigns to fight pollution and clear our surroundings of sorts of environmental hazards,” he added

“Tree planting campaigns have been launched time and time again by the government, schools, NGOs and other civil society organisations but very few of them make efforts to protect and nurture the trees that are planted during such campaigns,” SSGC’ Salman Siddiqui.

Trees need to be protected, which is why cutting them should be banned, he added.

“Education can help create awareness about environmental issues. Once people are sensitised, they can be mobilised into playing their role to help find solutions to the problem, said CDGK’s Javed Mustafa Khan.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 26th, 2010.

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