Secretary Forests Kick Off Green Punjab Programme

ATTOCK, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Feb, 2018 ) :Secretary Forests, Wildlife and Fisheries, Mian Waheeduddin inaugurated "Green Punjab" program in Hattain near Hassanabdal by planting a tree on Tuesday.

Talking to newsmen, he said under Prime Minister's Green Pakistan Programme Rs1284.753 million have been allocated to the Punjab Forest which would be utilized for forestation of blank areas by planting 5.5 million trees over a period of five years.

He added that under Annual Development Programme 2017-18, the department would plant 2.951 million saplings on 4066 acres of land under ongoing programmes while 544,500 saplings would be planted under new schemes over an area of 7500 acres of land.

About 4.67 million saplings would be planted on 8,549 acres of land under 'Green Pakistan' programme. He said that cage-culture is also being promoted in Potohar region to increase Tilapia fish production.

He said total projects worth Rs 780 million would be carried out in the province while seven new projects worth Rs 820 million have also been prepared and sent to the planning and development department for approval to bring barren land under fish production.

He said that breeding farms of different birds and animals have increased to 173 which were only 116 in year 2015. He informed that departmental fine of Rs 18 million was recovered during last year from those violating the wildlife laws.

To a question, he said Punjab government has decided to revamp its 'forest policy' after every 10 years to make it in line with the contemporary needs, adding the department had collected Rs18 million by imposing fine on illegal hunting during 2017 as compared to Rs5 million in 2014.