KARACHI - Karachi University (KU) Landscape Department has started chopping down Eucalyptus trees from the KU campus to prevent the university and its environment from severe side effects of the tress as these trees caused massive loss to the university in the torrential rains in 2008. Around 21 trees have been chopped down so far, while in response to this step the Karachi University is planning to launch a massive tree plantation campaign from 15 March 2010 at the varsity. Conversely, the Eucalyptus tree has already been declared as serious threat to utility services, footpaths and sewerage lines of the metropolis; this situation had forced the City District Government Karachi and Sindh Environment Ministry to cut down more than 100,000 trees from the city. Eucalyptuses are among the tallest trees in the world. Around three out of 21 chopped trees are near the International Relations Department, around seven of them are near the Political Science Department and remaining are near the Economics department. When Head of the KU Landscape Department Dr Moa-zam was contacted by The Nation, he said that Eucalyptus trees had caused huge loss to KU administration when nearly 40 Eucalyptus trees fell down in the torrential rains. Plantation is purely scientific activity. I dont know who had planted these trees in the KU, as now they have to be chopped to protect our sewerage lines, fresh water lines, electricity wires etc. Eucalyptus trees are also know to have adverse affect on underground water reservoirs, as they consume plenty of water that and there roots extend to long distances, damaging the sewerage and water supply lines, he noted. Moreover, the leaves of the said tree do not decompose easily, which cab hapmer the growth of other plants, situated around the eucalyptus, he added. He said the deforestation caused by removal of Eucalyptus trees, a plantation campaign is also on the cards, in which several kinds of trees will be planted. As per scientific information available on different sites, Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of trees which dominate the tree flora of Australia with over 700 species. Eucalyptus are found in almost every part of the continent, adapted to all climatic conditions. No other continent is so characterised by a single genus of tree as is Australia by Eucalyptus. Many species are commonly called gum trees; other common names include mallee, box, ironbark, stringy bark, and ash. Eucalypts are among the tallest trees in the world. Eucalyptus regnans, the Australian Mountain Ash, is the tallest of all flowering plants (Angiosperms), growing to nearly 200 meters.