PESHAWAR: Like other parts of the country, plantation drive kicked off on Sunday across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in connection with ‘Green Day’.

In Peshawar, students, civil society organisation and officials of various government department participated in plantation of saplings.

District administration, Peshawar, had planned a mega plantation initiative in collaboration with the forest department after the federal government’s announcement that September 2 would be celebrated as ‘Green Day’.

Over 230,000 saplings planted in Peshawar alone

The district administration had cancelled the weekend holiday of the public sector educational institutions for participation of the students in the plantation drive. According to a statement issued by the administration, around 231,000 trees were planted in the provincial capital.

Deputy commissioner Imran Hamid Sheikh started the campaign from Government Higher Secondary School No 1, Peshawar. Key events were arranged at GHSS No 3 Khyber Bazaar, Blind School Nishtarabad, RHC Wadpaga, Peshawar Public School Warsak Road, Umar Gul Chowk on Canal Road, Kacha Garhi and numerous rural areas of the city.

The plantation drive focused on roads, public parks, educational institutes, canal banks and other public and government-owned areas.

The DC presented a plan during the ceremony arranged for starting the campaign in which fast growing creepers will be planted on the concrete topped pavements, walls and roofs of the urban and congested areas of Peshawar city where ordinary plantation cannot be done.

He also highlighted the use of vertical plantation as this would reduce the dangerously aggravated carbon content in the environment of Peshawar.

In Timergara, the district administration in collaboration with the forest department launched the plantation drive. Saplings of various species were planted by officials of the administration and forest department at selected spots.

Lower Dir deputy commissioner Sarmad Saleem inaugurated the drive.

However, some of the social activists complained about shortage of saplings in the district. An activist Mohammad Arifullah said that they needed plants for his organisation, but got none. He said that the existing plant nurseries in Timergara and Talash had no plants for distribution among the people.

In Kohat, the district administration launched ‘Plant for Pakistan’ campaign on Sunday.

Special adviser to the chief minister MPA Ziaullah Bangash, district nazim Naseem Afridi, commissioner, Kohat, Mutahir Zeb and deputy commissioner Khalid Ilyas planted saplings at various places.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Bangash said that 35,000 plants would be planted in Kohat. He claimed that a plan had been made to raise them properly. The government officials, schoolchildren and local bodies’ members planted around 5,000 saplings.

In Ghalanai, the plantation campaign was inaugurated in the district headquarters where DC Wasif Saeed along with students, teachers and officials of forest and education departments and levy forces planted trees.

AC Lower Tauseef Khalid said that the plantation campaign would continue till Sept 4. “A total of 106,000 plants would be planted all across the tribal district” he said.

‘Plant for Pakistan’ day was observed across Shangla on Sunday with different events and awareness walks. The day was observed jointly by the forest division, Alpuri, and Kohistan watershed division, Bisham.

Tree plantation campaigns were also held in other districts, including Charsadda, Hangu, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Orakzai tribal district, Malakand and Buner.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2018