LAHORE - Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) for Youth Affairs Usman Dar on Friday presided over a meeting to review arrangements in connection with Tiger Force Day, at 9-Aikman Road.
In the meeting, all divisional commissioners were directed to prepare a comprehensive plan for carrying out mass tree plantation through volunteers at the district and tehsil level. On the occasion of Tiger Force Day, ceremonies would be organised for massive-scale plantation through volunteers across the country.
The meeting was attended by Provincial Minister for Special Education Muhammad Akhlaq, Chief Secretary Punjab Jawwad Rafique Malik, Secretary Forests Muhammad Asif, Chairman PITB Azfar Manzoor and Commissioner Lahore Division Danish Afzal whereas Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam, while all the divisional commissioners participated through video link.
Addressing the meeting, Usman Dar said that the Tiger Force fulfilled its esponsibilities in an excellent manner during the pandemic. He mentioned that to take maximum benefit of services of the Tiger Force in the tree plantation campaign, it had been decided to increase the number of volunteers and registration in this regard would open in the next few days through a mobile phone application. He said that the services of Tiger Force were being utilised in a better way in Punjab.
Malik Amin Aslam said the purpose of celebrating Tiger Force Day was to pay tribute to the volunteers over their outstanding services. He said that the government was providing opportunities to the youth to participate in the process of development of the country.
The Punjab chief secretary asked all divisional commissioners to make arrangements for tree plantation at district and tehsil level through volunteers, adding that a comprehensive plan should be sent within the next five days.
The chief secretary said that the Tiger Force was a useful human resource and their services should be fully utilised. He said that planting more and more trees was the need of the hour to curb growing environmental pollution. He said that awareness campaigns and community mobilisation on the importance and usefulness of trees should be started. He directed the Forests secretary that after plantation, effective arrangements should be in place to look after the saplings.
The Forest secretary briefed the meeting that a target of planting 37 million trees had been set for the monsoon tree plantation campaign in Punjab and places had been identified in different cities for mass tree plantation. He said that 244 nurseries of the Forest Department had stock of 85 million saplings at present.