KP Govt Ready To Assist Provinces In Implementation Of Mega 'Plant For Pakistan' Project

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has offered technical expertise to provinces including Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan for plantation of 10 billion saplings under 'Plant for Pakistan' project in next five years in the country.

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Nov, 2018 ) :The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has offered technical expertise to provinces including Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan for plantation of 10 billion saplings under 'Plant for Pakistan' project in next five years in the country.

"The KP has attained significant experiences under Billions Trees Afforstration Project (BTAP) 2014-17 and could share experiences to the federating units in the upcoming 'Plant for Pakistan' project the scope of which has been extended to 10 billion plantation by Prime Minister Imran Khan," said Syed Ishtiaq Urmar, Provincial Minister for Environment, Wildlife and Forests while talking to APP.

Under BTAP model, he said, one billion and 18 crore saplings were planted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during 2014-17, which increased KP's total forests covered areas from 20.3pc in 2013 to record 26.6 pc in 2018.

He said BTAP are being extended to recently merged tribal districts to achieve target of planting additional one billion saplings in Khyber Pakthunkhwa under Plant for Pakistan.

"We have chalked out an inclusive strategy for 'Plant for Pakistan' and province-wise campaign for massive plantation will formally commence on January 15 next year," he said.

As result of BTAP, over 600,000 hectares of forests had been restored in KP, immensely helping fighting climate change and global warming besides sequestering forest carbon of over 0.04 Giga ton of CO2.

He said plantations has been monitored through a Third Party validation i.e. WWF that endorsed 125pc achievements besides receiving appreciation certificates from BONN Challenge, IUCN and World Economic Forum and membership from Asian Protected Areas Partnership. COP (Conference of Parties) 21 Organization that works under UN had declared KP overall best in plantation that was great honour for Pakistan.

Focus would be made on plantation of native species like Palosa, Bera, Robinia and other species in southern districts to bolster honey business in the province.

"All those beekeepers, who abandoned the job due to loss of native species prior to 2013, had rejoined their business owing to massive plantation under BTAP," he said.

The demands of Pakistani's honey have increased manifolds in Gulf countries due to its batter taste and quality and Govt will encourage beekeepers to increase volume of honey's exports.

Owing to massive plantations, he said, population of endanagered Swati honeybees have increased manifold in the province.

A new forest at Ghari Chandan at Peshawar has been raised and the new forests will help control rising temperature besides mitigating effects of climate change and global warming in the country.

The Minister said Peshawar Zoo is being strengthened and all precious animals like Zebra, Zarafa, tigers and loins were brought to the facility attracting people mostly children in large number. He said elephants would be brought from a foreign country soon to the zoo.

The 40-years old curriculum of Pakistan Forests Institute at Peshawar has been updated with modern requirements and two years extensive professional education training to trainee forest officers of all provinces and AJK are being provided at PFI.

The environmental tribunal has been established at Peshawar to take up cases of environmental and population related cases, saying operation against unlawful crushing machines, marble factories and brick kilns will commence soon.

To a question, he said, Neghban force (caretaker) will continue services to protect forests raised in enclosures in remote areas of the province and no employee would be sacked.