UPPER DIR/SHANGLA: A tree plantation drive was launched in Upper Dir and Shangla districts on Sunday under the provincial government’s Billion Tree Tsunami programme.

In Upper Dir, a ceremony to this effect was held at Sundrawal area where provincial Minister for Local Government Inayatullah was the chief guest. The district targets to plant over 10 million saplings during the drive.

On the occasion, Mr Inayatullah said the provincial government had set a target of 10 billion trees to be planted during the three-year programme. He urged the people to look after the saplings until they were fully grownup trees.

The senior minister said the use of wood in construction of official buildings like schools and hospitals, and private structures would be banned to preserve forests. However, he appealed to people to help the forest department in curbing forest cutting and timber smuggling.

District forest officer Syed Moqtadar Shah informed the minister that 10.5 million trees would be planted by Dec 2016 in Upper Dir. He said 134 nurseries had been established in the district for the purpose.

Later, the provincial minister inaugurated the drive by planting a sapling in the government girls school, Sundrawal. In Shangla, speaking at a ceremony in this regard, divisional forest officer, watershed department, Syed Rizwan Kazmi said over 2 million saplings had so far been planted in the district, while another 1.1 million plants would be distributed among the people till March.

Divisional forest officer, forest department, Sardar Ali Farhad said the department had also planted 1.2 million saplings across Shangla district. He said the drive would continue to achieve the target of planting 2.5 million saplings till June.

Rizwan Kazmi said in the phase-II of the Billion Tree Tsunami project 25,000 saplings would be grown in each nursery, which would be distributed among the people for plantation.

A farmer, Hassan, told Dawn the watershed department had provided a good chance to the people to set up nurseries.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2016