Rawalpindi - The Forests Department Rawalpindi South and North circles will plant over 1.1 million saplings during Monsoon season while Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Saif Anjum has formally inaugurated the plantation campaign by planting sapling of Peelkan here in Gymkhana.
Talking to APP Conservator of Forests Rawalpindi South Circle Saqib Mahmood informed that all out efforts would be made to achieve the Monsoon plantation campaign target of 550,000, fixed for the South Circle. Deputy Commissioner, Rawalpindi Dr Umer Jahangir, Ex PAS, Syed Rizwan Mehboob, City Police Officer Rawalpindi Abbas Ahsan and Conservator Forest Rwp North Ather Shah Khagga also planted saplings at Gymkhana.
He said, divisional forest officers and other concerned have been directed to plant maximum saplings with the help and cooperation of the civil society, officials and students during the campaign. On the directives of the authorities concerned, a comprehensive plan of massive tree plantation has been evolved to bring maximum area under forest cover which is basic requirement to overcome environmental degradation, he added. The Conservator said that the staff members of the department have been activated to make sure proper forestation in their respective areas which would be inspected by the senior forest officers. The Circle had planted over 10, 56,000 saplings under PM’s Green Pakistan Program in Rawalpindi South, Jhelum and Chakwal districts during the spring tree plantation campaign 2018. Saqib said, 260,000 was the target set for the Circle under the program but, the department had succeeded to achieve 306 percent additional to the target.
A comprehensive plan of a massive tree plantation was evolved to bring maximum area under forest cover which is the basic requirement to overcome environment degradation, he added. The Forests Department was making all out efforts for maximum plantation in the areas available for plantation. All necessary arrangements had been made to make the program a success which continued till June, he added. The Conservator said, the program was started on the special directive of the Prime Minister with an aim to launch a country wide drive to improve and enhance forest cover of the country. The project is also in line with relevant component on Environment and Climate Change of Vision 2025 and 11th five Year Development Plan (2013-18) approved by the Planning Commission. He said Forests play an important role in supporting and maintaining ecological systems and cycles. Forests depend on and contribute to the many complex processes that are responsible for recycling carbon and water. They also regulate water flow and protects soil, he added. Maximum saplings are being planted with the help and cooperation of the civil society, officials and students during the campaign. He said that the staff members of the department had been activated to make sure proper forestation takes place in their respective areas which will be inspected by senior forest officers.
He said that it is need of the hour to increase the forest area by accelerating the speed of plantation process.
adding, the government could not achieve the task alone and people belonging to all walks of life should come forward and play their role in this regard. The Forests Department Punjab, South Circle Rawalpindi had also planted 1,200,000 saplings in Rawalpindi South, Jhelum and Chakwal districts nearly 107 percent against the 1,120,000 target set for Spring Tree Plantation Campaign 2018. Saqib said, the citizens should also plant maximum saplings to enhance forests and trees which would help control the problems of environmental pollution due to rapidly rising population. “We are trying to create awareness of the importance of all types of forests. We are also encouraging the citizens to undertake efforts to organize activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns,” he added. He urged the citizens to play their role as it is need of the hour to increase the forest area by accelerating the speed of plantation process adding, the people belonging to all walks of life should come forward and play their role. Meanwhile, talking to APP Conservator Forests Rawalpindi North Circle Ather Shah Khagga informed that the Circle would plant over 550,000 saplings during Monsoon tree plantation campaign 2018 in Rawalpindi region.
He said efforts would be made to achieve the target fixed for Monsoon plantation campaign. A comprehensive plan of massive tree plantation has been evolved to bring maximum area under forest cover, he added. The Conservator said that the staff members of the department have been activated to make sure proper forestation in their respective areas which would be inspected by the senior forest officers. In order to promote social forestry the students would be associated in afforestation plans,he said adding special emphasis is being given on plantation of shrubs and deep rooted plants on the banks of Murree Expressway to prevent land erosion and landslides. Thousands of saplings will be planted in Murree area under Bioengineering work, a landslide control technology. To a question he informed over 1.1 million target of spring tree plantation 2018 had been achieved successfully. The citizens should also plant maximum saplings to enhance forests, he added. He further said, the main objective of Tree Plantation Campaign is to create awareness among people to plant maximum trees so that problems of environmental pollution could be controlled.