PESHAWAR: The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has finalized an extensive monsoon plantation drive under its Green Growth Strategy for the province.
The strategy was finalized in meeting held here on Thursday with the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Home & Tribal Affairs Department, Abid Majeed, who also currently holds the additional charge of the Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the chair. He issued directives to finalize arrangements for an extensive seasonal plantation drive across the province.
Besides, administrative secretaries to the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, and officials from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police also attended the meeting.
The ACS Abid Majeed emphasized that all government departments and segments of society should be taken on board in the plantation drive. He instructed the concerned departments, divisional and district administrations, and the police to mobilize resources and take necessary steps for plantation in their respective jurisdictions. Digital tools, including apps and GPS, will be utilized for timely and accurate reporting and monitoring of plantation activities under the Green Growth Strategy.
The Green Growth Strategy includes an extensive plan to plant trees in schools, colleges, university campuses, judicial complexes, police station premises, industrial estates, and roadside green belts. Public participation will be encouraged and facilitated during the mass plantation drive.
The seasonal plantation drive, scheduled for July, August, and September this year, will focus on planting 35 type of forest, 26 type of ornamental, and seven type of fruit trees, with a priority on fruit tree plantation. The Forest Department will use 5.726 million seedlings in the drive. Other departments will utilize 1.010 million seedlings through their own programs.
The meeting was informed that 1.733 million seedlings will be distributed to farmers free of cost. A total of 0.469 million seedlings will be planted through mass planting events. 0.252 million seedlings will be planted through VDCs. Defense institutions will plant 1.191 million seedlings. A target of 0.346 million seedlings has been set for educational, religious, and other specified institutions. Additionally, planting, sowing, and dibbling will be carried out over an area of 64 acres in the Central Southern Region-I, Hazara Forest Region-II, and Malakand Forest Region-III. A total of 248,717 events will be organized for the plantation drive.
The ACS Home Abid Majeed reiterated the importance of this initiative and urged all stakeholders to actively participate to ensure its success, contributing to green growth in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024