PESHAWAR - The KP forest department would plant around 3.5 million saplings of different spe­cies in Abbottabad and Haripur districts under 10 billion tress afforestation project (10-BTAP) during ongoing spring season to offset the growing effects of climate change and global warming.

Community Development Officer Hari­pur district Ubaidur Rehman told to media that spring afforestation has been started in Hazara division where 3.5 million sap­lings would be planted with help of defence forces, nation building departments, NGOs, farmers and general public. For the first time, he said five types of fruit plants were being given to people under 10-BTAP.

3.5 million saplings of different species to be planted in Abbottabad and Haripur

The forest department Gallies division Ab­bottabad would distribute 0.9 million plants in­cluding 0.45 million would be sown with help of defence forces and rest of the plants would planted with help of civil society, district ad­ministration and others. Watershed division would plant 1.6 million saplings including plantation of 0.6 million with help of defence forces and Cantonment Board Havelian, 0.4 million through block plantation while rest of the 0.6 million plants would be sown in three circles Abbottabad, Havelian and Sher­wan. In Haripur, 0.9 million saplings would be planted where 0.2 million plants have al­ready been distributed under 10-BTAP un­der Forest Department Community Devel­opment Programme in the district.

He further said that plant distribution was in progress in all districts with the help of civil society, educational institutions, for­mer local bodies members, government of­ficials, and others.