ISLAMABAD: Environmentalists are all set to commemorate September 18 as National Plantation Day.

Shahida Kausar Farooq, CEO of Subh-e-Nau, an environment and public health NGO, said the event would bring some good news amidst continuous political bickering in the heart of the Capital.

“It’s our effort to provide to improve the environment of the Capital city,” said Ms Shahida in her statement.

Environmentalists had spent quite a busy day yesterday preparing for the event. Subh-e-Nau in collaboration with Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) is going to commemorate National Plantation Day on September 18.

It has been decided that only indigenous fruit trees would be planted on the premises of the Pakistan Sports Board building. University students are also participating in the event and will plant trees along with the environmentalists.

A separate awareness campaign on preserving rain water and its efficient utilization would also be launched as part of the efforts to make the city clean and green.

Mr Riaz Hussain Pirzada, Minister for Sports, would inaugurate the event by planting a tree on the premises of the PSB offices. Volunteers and environmentalists would also plant different fruit trees in and around the sports board office.

It has also been decided that Subh-e-Nau would build “women and junior tennis academy”. An understanding for the academy has been reached with the DG and minister of sports.

The sports culture is dying across the country and the academy will be used to promote the sport and garner passion for the game among women and juniors.

“It is the best way to bring women together for the cause of sports and our initiative of building an academy would serve as a talent hunt programme,” said environmentalist Jawad Chishtie.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2014