Drive launched to plant 2.2m extra saplings in Mansehra

MANSEHRA: The district administration has been extending its logistic and other support to the Forest department to plant an extra 2.2 million of saplings during a tree plantation drive launched formally here on Tuesday.

“We have adopted a conceptual idea of ‘Cradle a Tree’ to ensure that each and every individual, particularly settled in the urban parts of district receive a sapling and plant it,” Dr Qasim Ali Khan told the inaugural ceremony of a tree plantation drive held at the New Circuit House here on Tuesday.

Assistant Dputy Commissioner Jawad Sardar Marwat, managing director of the Saibaan Development Organisation Sahibzada Jawad Alfaizi, and schoolchildren attended the gathering.

Dr Qasim said that during the spring season the Forest department would plant over 6 million of saplings but district administration with the support of social organisations would plant its share of 2.2 million separately.

“This has been happening for the first time that we have installed a plant-meter, which would give an exact counting of trees planted daily,” he said.

The deputy commissioner said district administration would also take care of planted trees through contacts with individuals who collected the saplings from the mobile vehicles and Forest department.

He appealed to people to come forward and join hands with the district administration to plant a tree for a pollution free environment for generations to come.