550,000 saplings to be planted in Rawalpindi

Rawalpindi: Forest Department Rawalpindi North will plant over 550,000 saplings during Monsoon tree plantation campaign 2018 in Rawalpindi region while Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Saif Anjum has inaugurated the plantation campaign by planting sapling of Peelkan here in Gymkhana.

Talking to this agency, Conservator Forests Rawalpindi Circle Ather Shah Khagga informed that all out efforts would be made to achieve the target fixed for Monsoon plantation campaign.

Deputy Commissioner, Rawalpindi Dr Umer Jahangir, Ex PAS, Syed Rizwan Mehboob, City Police Officer Rawalpindi Abbas Ahsan, Conservator Forest Rawalpindi South, Saqib Mahmood also planted saplings.

Deputy Commissioner, Rawalpindi Dr Umer Jahangir said that divisional forest officers and other concerned have been directed to plant maximum saplings with the help and cooperation of the civil society, officials and students during the campaign.

On the directives of the authorities concerned, a comprehensive plan of massive tree plantation has been evolved to bring maximum area under forest cover which is basic requirement to overcome environmental degradation, he added.

The Conservator said that the staff members of the department have been activated to make sure proper forestation in their respective areas which would be inspected by the senior forest officers.

In order to promote social forestry the youngsters would be associated in afforestation plans, he said adding special emphasis is being given on plantation of shrubs and deep rooted plants on the banks of Murree Expressway to prevent land erosion and landslides.

Thousands of saplings will be planted in Murree area under Bioengineering work, a landslide control technology. To a question he informed over 1.1 million target of spring tree plantation 2018 had been achieved successfully. The citizens should also plant maximum saplings to enhance forests and trees which would help control the problems of environmental pollution due to rapidly rising population.

Deputy Commissioner, Rawalpindi Dr Umer Jahangir further said, the main objective of Tree Plantation Campaign is to create awareness among people to plant maximum trees so that problems of environmental pollution could be controlled.