The government would plant 45 million saplings across the country during the upcoming monsoon plantation campaign beginning from the third week of July, 2010. This was decided during a meeting of the Environment Ministry, chaired by Federal Minister for Environment Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi on Thursday.
The meeting fixed targets for current campaign which include planting of 14 million saplings in Punjab, 12 million in Sindh, 5 million in Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa, 0.5 million in Balochistan, 5 million in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K) and 6 million in Fata.
In addition to this CDA would plant 0.4 million saplings, IUCN 0.8 million, Pakistan Tobacco Company Limited (PTC) 0.3 million saplings whereas 1 million saplings would be planted under the Rachna Doab project. Secretary Environment Ministry, Javed Malik said that the planning commission has assured the ministry of necessary funds required for the mega projects, adding for 7 mega projects the ministry would get Rs 600 million this year.
The aim of the meeting was also to review the progress of forestation by various agencies during "Spring Tree Planting Campaign 2010" and develop a viable strategy for Monsoon Tree Planting Campaign 2010. The meeting was attended by Moulvi Abdus Samad, Balochistan Forest Minister, Secretary Ministry of Environment Muhammad Javed Malik, Addl Secretary Kamran Ali Qureshi, representatives of provincial forest, wildlife, and environment departments, CDA, Ministries of Defence, Defence Production, Education, Health, IUCN and other partners.
Speaking on the occasion the Federal Minister for Environment Hameed Ullah Jan Afridi stressed the need for a comprehensive monitoring strategy to know the survival percentage of the saplings planted. Federal Minister observed that though the Prime Minister of Pakistan has declared 18th August as National Tree Planting Day, due to holy month of Ramazan this day shall be celebrated on August 10, 2010 and urged the provincial forest departments and other stakeholders to plant as much saplings as they can on this day to celebrate it in a befitting manner.
He said that the government would encourage private nursery growers to make sure healthy and vigorous planting stock to public at large. The minister reiterated the importance of mobilising all the government, semi-government and private organisations along with general public for making monsoon tree planting campaign 2010 a success.
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