KARACHI, Oct 17: As many as 1,100 plots, which were earmarked for public parks and recreation centres, are either in a state of disrepair or unused.

This was disclosed by the city Nazim, Naimatullah Khan, at a meeting held at the Frere Hall on Wednesday.

Speaking to the heads of 27 federal and provincial government departments, he asked them to bear the expenses of one park each. Directing the government departments to plant 400,000 saplings, he promised that the city government would plant 100,000 saplings.

He admitted that the city government was too hard pressed to spend the required amount of money on a tree plantation campaign.

Spelling out his plan to change Karachi to a “green city”, he said the plan would be implemented in two phases. In the first phase, he explained, all government departments would be asked to take part in the tree plantation campaign. In the second phase, he added, parks would be constructed in the city.

He asked the government departments which had spare land to plant saplings.

The city Nazim suggested a quarterly inspection of plants to ensure that they were properly looked after.

The meeting was attended also by the city Naib Nazim, Tariq Hassan, the district coordination officer, Shafiqur Rehman Paracha, and others.

The federal and provincial government departments which were given the target of planting 400,000 saplings are: Karachi University (25,000 saplings), Hamdard University (25,000 saplings), NED University (10,000 saplings), communication and works department (10,000 saplings), forest department (50,000 saplings), archaeology department (1,000 saplings), Pakistan International Airlines (5,000 saplings), Karachi Development Authority (20,000 saplings), Malir Development Authority (10,000 saplings), Lyari Development Authority (5,000 saplings), civil aviation authority (20,000 saplings), environmental protection agency (5,000 saplings), Karachi Port Trust (10,000 saplings), Port Qasim Authority (20,000 saplings), Pakistan Steel (25,000 saplings), Export Processing Zone (10,000 saplings), Sindh Industrial & Trading Estate (10,000 saplings), Korangi Industrial Trading Estate (10,000 saplings), Social Security (50,000 saplings), Karachi Water & Sewerage Board (10,000 saplings), Citizen Police Liaison Committee (2,000 saplings), Defence Housing Authority (20,000 saplings), Military Estates (25,000 saplings), PECHS (5,000 saplings) and KECHSU (5,000 saplings).

Mr Khan said: “Every organization should have its own nursery so that we have more nurseries to provide plants at cheaper price.”

The Nazim said a formal plantation campaign will soon be announced after consultation with all the organizations, non- governmental organizations and public figures.—PPI/APP