The NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has said that large-scale tree plantation can ensure national development and urged individual and collective efforts to make the tree plantations drive of the province a success. "This would not only ease the human being in terms of health, but would also strengthen country's economy."
This, he said, while addressing a ceremony, organised in connection with the monsoon tree plantation campaign in Bagh-i-Naraan, Hayatabad on Tuesday. Provincial ministers Hafiz Hashmat, Maulana Amanullah Haqqani, assembly members, Secretary Environment Department Anwarul Haq, Managing Director CD&MD Sareer Ahmad, officials of forest department and elite of the area attended the ceremony.
The chief minister said the Ulema could play a vital role in the tree plantation, adding "Ulema is a trustworthy section of the society and can persuade the general public for tree plantation."
He also urged the high ups of education, health and other departments to plant more and more trees through their respective manpower, without seeking the government's help.
"Allah Almighty has bestowed the NWFP with natural beauty and resources. The beautiful valleys of Swat, Kaghan, Kumrat, Galiyat and Dir are a source of attraction for the national and foreign tourists," he maintained.
Durrani directed the concerned officials to plant more and more trees alongside roads and remarked "We should not look forward to others, but use our own efforts to adorn our province akin to that of our home."
Regarding the problems in Hayatabad, he said the concerned officials had been directed to cope with the problems of heaps of dirt, repair of tube wells, law and order situation, etc.
He directed the CD&MD to recruit workers for digging graves, immediately repair the tube wells and purchase 4 machines for each tube well, so that people may not be irked due to shortage of water.
He stressed to notify the owners of plots in Hayatabad to start construction work on the empty plots, so that people got rid of heaps of dirt. He informed a boy's primary school had been approved in Phase-VI, while the concerned officials had also been directed for arrangements amid the tribal area and Hayatabad, besides setting up office for superintendent of police.
"In order to improve the efficiency of police department, an annual fund of Rs 0.7 million is being provided to the police stations, which would solve the problems of telephone, diesel and other needs of the police station," Durrani brought to the fore.
Secretary Environment Anwarul Haq, in his speech, said the environment department planted more trees than its target this year due to the efforts of chief minister and provincial government.
He said the MMA government provided enough funds for the promotion of forests in the province. He thanked the chief minister and provincial government for approving up-gradation of the low-ranking employees of fisheries/wildlife and forests' range officers in line with the procedure of forest department.
He said the target of monsoon tree plantation drive was 7.5 millions plants, adding that 1.5 million plants, available in the nurseries, would also be planted during the campaign.
Later on, the chief minister inaugurated the monsoon tree plantation drive by placing a plant in Bagh-i-Naraan, Hayatabad.
VISITS PESHAWAR The NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani on Tuesday conducted a detailed inspection of more than three hours of the roads in city, cantonment and suburbs of Peshawar.
The chief minister was accompanied by his Special Advisor Shamsur Rehman Shamsi, assembly members Ibrahim Qasmi and Zakir Shah, Secretary Local Government Baz Muhammad Khattak, Managing Director CD&MD Sareer Ahmad and local leaders of the MMA.