PESHAWAR - Provincial Secretary Environment Forests and Wildlife Department Shahidullah Khan has sought active support of tribal people for achieving plantation targets set under 10 billion afforestation project (10-BTAP) in South Waziristan tribal district.
He sought tribesmen support while addressing a grand jirga at the office of Assistant Commissioner Wana in South Waziristan with Ahmedzai Wazir elders in connection with the 10-BTAP.
The secretary was accompanied by Chief Conservator of Forests Ali Gohar Khan, Conservator Merged Areas Farhat Ullah Khan, Divisional Forest Officer South Waziristan, Salim Khan Marwat, Assistant Commissioner Wana, Amir Nawaz, officials of district administration and forest department.
Speaking on the occasion, the environment secretary said the 10-BTAP has been extended to merged areas including South Waziristan where vast land was available for plantations.
He said sites for trees plantations have been identified in South Waziristan where massive plantations would be carried out with the help of general public, farmers, educational institutes, nation building departments, and forest department.
The secretary said trees plantation was a continued charity and urged the tribesmen to plant maximum plants as they can during spring plantations campaign to make South Waziristan lush green.
Later on, the secretary Forests distributed free plants among tribesmen.
Shahidullah Khan also visited Forest Office at Wana where he planted a tree. Earlier, the secretary inspected plantation sites at Madi Jan Sarwekai Sub-division and Spin Wana Sub-division in connection with 10-BTAP afforestation areas.
He directed the forest department’s staff to work with dedication and professional commitment imperative to achieve the 10-BTAP targets in KP.
Following successful completion of first phase of BTAP under which over 1.20 billion plants were planted during 2014-17 in KP, the government has set another one billion plants target under 10-BTAP for the province to be sown by 2023 to offset the growing threats of climate change.
The secretary said if every person plants at least five saplings and properly looks after it then 100 million trees would be planted in spring season. He added that together we can make Pakistan lush green besides countering the challenge of climate change and global warming.
On this occasion, the tribal elders assured full support to the secretary forest for success of trees plantations campaign in South Waziristan.
Drive against
underage, without helmet motorists
Mansehra police on Monday started a campaign against underage drivers, one wheeling and motorcyclists without wearing helmet all over the district.
According to the police, on the directives of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Hazara region, traffic police Abbottabad has started a massive crackdown against underage motorists, wrong driving, motorcyclists without a helmet and one wheeling.The traffic police issued challans to violators and booked many under 279 PPC. While talking to media, Traffic Warden Inspector Jamal Zeb Khan said this is the responsibility of traffic police officers to stop the craze of one wheeling and save precious lives.