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Karachi, February 16, 2018 (PPI-OT): Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah directed forest Department to launch anti-encroachment drive against the land grabbers of forest land and plant trees on its vacant land. This he said while talking to Secretary Forest Asif Hyder Shah, Chief Conservator Aijaz Nizamani and other officials of the department who had attended inaugural ceremony of Spring Tree Plantation Campaign 2018 under which Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali planted a palm tree at Chief Minister House today.
The campaign has simultaneously been started in all 29 districts of the province with a target of planting over half a million saplings on the inaugural day, today. The campaign aims at planting mainly local tree species saplings to public and community places such as Educational institution, bus stops, road sides etc.
Sindh Education Foundation-run schools have also been actively involved in the campaign all over the province. Secretary Forest Asif Hyder Shah briefing the chief minister said that the target of tree plantation given by him to the department would be achieved.
Division-wise tree planting targets for the days are as follows:
Karachi Civil Division has a target of 10,375,000 saplings but today 165,000 are being planted. Hyderabad Civil Division has a target of 3,500,000 plants and today 100,000 are being planted. Mirpurkhas Civil Division has spring target of 900,000 plants against which 15,000 are being planted today. Shaheed Benazirabad Civil Division has target 1,750,000 sapling and today 55,000 are being planted. Larkana Civil Division has spring target of 1,875,000 saplings and today 85,000 are being planted.
Sukkur Civil Division has a target of 1,600,000 saplings and today 80,000 saplings are being planted. In this way during sprint 2018 20,000,000 trees would be planted while today 500,000 are being planted. The Chief Minister also emphasized planting and protection of trees and forests in all ecological regions of Sindh ranging from coastal mangrove ecosystem to riverine forests and sustainable use of land resources in barrage areas of the province.
Murad Ali Shah appreciated mangrove-planting success of Sindh Forest Department spanning over the last two decades and directed the department to come up with a dynamic strategy for forest rehabilitation in riverine and irrigated plantation areas of the province. The chief Minister directed Chief Conservator of Forests to spearhead the anti-encroachment campaign on forestland and ensure planting of forests on vacated lands in order to prevent the recurrence of encroachment on the retrieved area.
For more information, contact:
Press Secretary,
Chief Minister House, Sindh
Tel: +92-21-99202019(Ext: 336)
Website: www.cmsindh.gov.pk