KARACHI  -

The Sindh Forest Department has crossed the record of India in planting mangrove saplings in more numbers during daylight hours.
The department made a successful attempt to inscribe its name in the Guinness World Records by planting maximum number of mangrove saplings during the daylight hours in Kharo Chaan, Thatta district on Friday.
 The current attempt is to regain this title by planting at least 7,50,000 mangroves saplings in Kharo Chaan, Thatta in one go. In 2009, the Sindh Forest Department had set a record by planting 541,176 saplings in Keti Bunder, which was overturned by India in 2010. The current attempt is to regain this title by planting at least 7,50,000 mangroves saplings in Kharo Chhaan, Thatta.
As per the guidelines mandated by the adjudicators at the Guinness World Records, the record has to be set by 300 volunteers only during the daylight hours.  According to the officials, the overall purpose of the activity is to focus on the significance of the Indus Delta mangroves, its affiliated biodiversity and above all, the dependence of coastal communities on this fragile and vulnerable ecosystem.  Since the Guinness World Record of 2009, the communities in Keti Bunder have received clean drinking water facility, a fully functional jetty with fish storage space and a network of metaled roads under various projects.
The other aspect of this activity is to earn an international recognition vis-à-vis the plantation of hundreds of thousands of mangroves in a country, which is facing severe loss of forest cover.  Mangroves act as a natural defence line against natural disasters such as sea storms and cyclones. They are home to an array of marine life and are also known as incredible carbon sequesters.
The inaugural ceremony was held on June 21 evening followed by a cultural programme and dinner, where the local and national artists showcased their talents.
A large number of public figures, government officials and media personnel attended this mega environmental event. Pakistan Navy has extended scientific support to the Sindh Forest Department for the event. Based on the tidal data shared by the Navy, June 22 has been selected as the most opportune day to avail maximum daylight hours ie, 14 hours approximately.