PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has directed the agriculture and forest departments to come up with an olive plantation plan within 10 days.

He was presiding over a meeting at the Chief Minister House here on Friday.

Provincial ministers Ishtiaq Urmar, Muhibullah, principal secretary Shahab Ali Shah, administrative secretaries of agriculture and forest departments and other officials attended the meeting.

Mahmood Khan said that the plan should clearly define responsibilities of both the departments and way forward to execute the plan. He also directed to devise a policy for underground mining of precious mines and minerals in the mountainous areas.

The chief minister also directed the authorities concerned to take necessary steps to stop illegal stone crushing.

The meeting discussed matters relating to sustainable olive plantation, protection of fish, illegal extraction of gravel and sand from riverbeds.

Expressing commitment to ensuring implementation of the project regarding olive plantation in the province, the chief minister said ultimate goal of the project was to ensure economic-friendly utilisation of non-agriculture and barren land available in the province.

Mahmood also directed the senior officials of mines department to hold regular public meetings regarding leases of mines in the newly-merged districts. He also asked mines department to share data of workers with the labour department so that the mineworkers could be registered with relevant bodies and their wellbeing was ensured.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2020