RAWALPINDI: Minister for Railways Azam Khan Swati on Monday said Pakistan Railways was making all out efforts to plant maximum saplings at various points across the country under monsoon plantation campaign.

He was visiting Rawalpindi Railway Station and Railway Hospital where he inaugurated the monsoon plantation drive by planting saplings.

During his visit to Railway Hospital, the minister inquired after patients and inspected different departments.

On the occasion, the administration officers of the hospital briefed the minister about health facilities being provided to the railway employees in the hospital.

He directed the authorities concerned to provide more facilities to the railway employees, saying that negligence on part of officials concerned would not be tolerated.

He also planted saplings at the Railway Hospital and Rawalpindi Railway Station under green Pakistan plantation campaign.

Efforts are underway to make Clean and Green Pakistan campaign a success so that pollution free and healthy environment could be provided to future generations, he added.

The minister urged the citizens to come forward and play a role to make the plantation campaign a success.

Railways Divisional Superintendent Inamullah briefed the minister that the division had planted more saplings than the target set for spring plantation campaign this year.

He further said the division had identified open spaces and started plantation work to achieve monsoon plantation target.

The DS said the officers concerned had been directed to make earnest efforts to achieve the target and make the plantation drive a success as per the vision of the prime minister. All divisional railway officers were present on the occasion.

Meanwhile, Chakwal Deputy Commissioner Bilal Hashim said 800,000 more saplings of different species would be planted during monsoon season under plant for Pakistan campaign.

While planting saplings at different places, he said the Punjab Forest Department (Extension) Rawalpindi Division had laid a foundation of dense potential forests on a vast area of neglected barren lands in Chakwal.

Divisional Forest Officer (Extension) Rawalpindi Division, Jameel Ahmed Bangash and District Range Forest Officer (Extension) Chakwal Sher Afzal Raja were present on the occasion.

The team headed by Chakwal DC planted 5,000 saplings in a single day in Akhuwat College, Chakwal.

Students of the college along with the principal Saba Hassam took part in the plantation campaign by planting saplings.

The principal of the college also announced to donate one kanal of college land for the purpose of developing nursery over there. He further said that 3,000 kanals of more neglected barren land had been identified by the District Range Forest Office, which would be made fertile and green on the expenses of Punjab government. 5000 kanals of such land have already been made productive where saplings have been planted by the local office of forest department, he added.

Sher Afzal Raja informed that over 600 plants of different types of fruits had been handed over to the administration of Akhuwat Collage to grow them in their college.

He also applauded efforts of DC Chakwal and other officers of district administration who helped the forest department to achieve a big success in tree plantation campaign.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2021