KARACHI, Sept 21: City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal while saying that the city government is paying special attention to tree plantation has called for formulation of relevant laws to preserve and protect the existing trees with provisions for severe punishment, including prison terms and monetary fines, to tree-choppers.

Mr Kamal was of the view that tree-chopping was forbidden in all big cities of the world and the culprits were sent to jail, but no such law existed in the case of Karachi.

Speaking at a multi-stakeholders consultation seminar on “Forestation and Aesthetic Plantation for Karachi,” organised by the local support unit of the Karachi mega city development project, the nazim said: no one should be allowed to cut down a tree without obtaining a prior permission or an NOC from the local municipality.

“We should work in this direction otherwise all of our hard work in this sector would be wasted,” he said, adding that for the first time in the city’s history a campaign was launched to make the city green by planting 185,000 saplings in different areas.

However, he said the city government could not preserve and protect the existing trees without formulation of a legal act.

He also referred to some other initiatives taken by the city government, including the development of Asia’s biggest park on Gutter Baghicha land, which was previously considered a no-go area. He said the city government vacated lands, worth billions of rupees, from the occupation of a land mafia during the last three years and developed beautiful parks for citizens. The city would have millions of new trees in the next 10 years, he hoped.

Observing that about 400-mgd untreated sewage flows into the sea, the nazim invited proposals for setting up of a small sewage treatment plant for city’s main drains, including Lyari River and other nullahs, so that the treated water could be used for the promotion of greenery in Karachi.

Mr Kamal noted that through better planning and integrated efforts, coastal areas of the city could be made greener and beautiful.