Plantation Campaigns To Ensure Better Environment In Country: Naeem Ul Haq

Today, the world is facing environmental problems including global warming, ozone depletion and pollution but solution to these problems lies in planting more trees said Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Naeem ul Haq

RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Aug, 2019 ) :Today, the world is facing environmental problems including global warming, ozone depletion and pollution but solution to these problems lies in planting more trees said Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Naeem ul Haq.

Naeem ul Haq planted a sapling at Expressway near Fazaia Colony to kick off mega tree plantation campaign of Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) Rawalpindi organized under Plant for Pakistan program of the government.

Addressing the participants he said, the PHA Rawalpindi was continuing tree plantation campaign in the city as per the campaign of Clean and Green Pakistan.

He said, trees and plants are the prime source of environmental purification and beautification. Trees inhale carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen, reduce temperature and create a healthy effect, both physically and psychologically, on human beings. Forests are the only natural industry which produces oxygen, he said.

The government on the directives of the Prime Minister had launched a countrywide drive to plant 10 billion trees in five years to counter challenges of global warming and deforestation, he added.

Everyone must take part in the campaign to plant trees else the land will turn into a desert as the glaciers are already melting owing to the global warming, he said.

The government was making all out efforts to make this initiative a success, Naeem ul Haq said adding, the massive plantation would also help address the challenge of growing pollution.

The government was also creating awareness among the citizens particularly the young generation about the importance of trees and forests, he added.

Chief Organizer, Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf, (PTI), Saif Ullah Khan Niazi thanked Chairman PHA Asif Mehmood and congratulated the Authority for efforts to make mega tree plantation campaign a success.

He said, all the departments concerned should come forward and play more active role to retrieve the state land from illegal occupation of the land grabbers. The land being retrieved should also be used for plantation and establishment of new gardens, he added.

Chairman PHA Asif Mehmood said, over 5000 saplings of different species would be planted under mega tree plantation campaign.

He said, PHA was making efforts to beauty the city and enhance the greenery.

He said, PHA was organizing different programs to sensitize the citizens. To encourage plantation and to turn the city into a green town, the authority had prepared a proper plan which was being implemented, he added.

He said the students, traders, social and political leaders and civil society members were being encouraged to participate in the campaign. The PHA was providing plants free of charge to the citizens during the monsoon plantation campaign.

Efforts would also be made during the campaign to sensitize the people to come forward and participate in the plantation campaign, he said.

Director General, PHA Shafqat Raza said that participation of a large number of the parliamentarians, civil society members and others in mega tree plantation campaign has encouraged the authority which was trying to plant maximum saplings as per vision of the prime minister.

On the occasion, Member National Assembly, Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, Chairman Rawalpindi Development Authority, Arif Abbasi, President RCCI Saleem Shahid, parliamentarians, students, representatives of the administration, volunteers and civil society members were present and took part in the plantation.