Under a Federal government directive, a mega afforestation plan is being launched in Punjab with an estimated cost of Rs 3 billion. Sources in the Forest Department told APP on Thursday that federal government had asked the provincial governments to increase one percent forest area in their respective regions.
In the light of this directive, the Punjab government had allocated a hefty amount of Rs 3 billion to accomplish the task, the sources said.
Under the plan, plantation would be carried out on 15,000 acres in Punjab. Plantation would be done on 20,000 miles long sides of all canals in the province with the aim to increase one percent forest. Furthermore, in the catchment areas 10,000 acres will also be afforested in the province.
For the purpose of expanding and improving pastures, fodder will be grown on 2,700 acres of land in Cholistan (Bahawalpur), while 100 acres will be afforested and 100 old water ponds will be desilted.
The sources added that two water turbines would be installed at Mauj Garh area of Cholistan (Rohi). According to the plan, in Dera Ghazi Khan region pastures would be established in six Rakhookh (on state land) and 100 acres would be afforested.
Six turbines would also be installed to provide drinking water for cattle population of the area besides digging of ten new water ponds for the animals and humans. As many as 2400 embankments would also be erected along the rivers. A bund will also be built to preserve rainwater for the cattle heads.
In Thul (Bhakkar, Layyah) area new varieties of fodder would be cultivated on 25 acres of land as nursery for the purpose of research and a research institute would also be set up to achieve the best possible results.
This mega project also covers Potohar (Rawalpindi) region where plants will be grown on 5400 acres of pastureland. A soil conservation scheme is also a part of the Potohar development project, it was learnt.