ISLAMABAD: City managers have decided to make tree plantation mandatory for all residents.

The decision was taken during a meeting, chaired by Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed, in order to increase greenery in the capital.

Managements of all public sector buildings, on the other hand, have been asked to ensure that there is a rainwater harvesting system installed on their premises.

Capital Development Authority (CDA) officials said as per existing bylaws only owners of 500 square yard plots and above are bound to plant four trees.

However, the bylaws will be amended in the next few days and it will be mandatory for all to plant trees.

They said owners of five marla houses will be required to plant one tree, 10 marlas two trees, owners of plots measuring 500 square yards and above will have to plant four trees. Moreover, owners of 100 sq yard houses will have to plant six trees.

Speaking to Dawn on Tuesday, CDA Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed said: “This exercise [tree plantation] is meant for improving the tree cover and cooling down temperature in Islamabad.”

All government buildings, including schools, will also plant treeswhile CDA will provide them saplings.

“Provision of free saplings to schools will build a sense of responsibility among students and also add to the tree cover. This year, we will carry out a massive tree plantation drive across the city,” he said.

About making amendments to the bylaws, he said it was just a formality and will be done soon.

“We will implement this decision [tree plantation]. In the first phase, we will motivate owners of plots/houses to do tree plantation and in the next phase we will take action,” he said.

Meanwhile, a press release said the CDA in order to solve water-related issues of the capital and preserve rainwater has decided to make it mandatory for all public sector buildings to have underground water wells for harvesting of rainwater.

“The CDA management has been actively pursuing plans and policies to resolve water-related issues of Islamabad and has taken various steps, including building sewage treatment plants and using the treated water for horticulture activities.

A modern sprinkling irrigation system will be utilised to water plants at Srinagar and Islamabad highways to conserve water,” the press release said, and added that CDA had also recently signed a memorandum of understanding with Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) to repair two dams in rural areas of Islamabad to shore up the water supply chain.

Similarly, water supply [two million gallons per day) has been restored from Rawal Dam after a long time.

Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2021