LAHORE, July 29: Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi has said that 13 million saplings will be planted in the province during the monsoon tree plantation campaign and ban on cutting of trees will be enforced strictly throughout Punjab.

Talking to newsmen after inaugurating the campaign by planting a sapling here along the canal on Saturday morning, he said a ban had been imposed on cutting of trees in the province because the objectives of tree plantation could not be achieved only by planting new saplings. Protection of the existing trees was also necessary.

Reports said a full-grown tree was uprooted on Friday and the chief minister planted a sapling near to the place.

He said the government would not allow cutting of a single tree in the province without prior permission even if it was absolutely necessary. Planting of 10 trees had been made mandatory in place of every tree cut due to unavoidable reasons. As many as 11,000 saplings were being planted along the canal alone. The province was moving towards the goal of `Green Punjab’ for which it required maximum number of trees.

Answering a question, he said ‘shisham’ was an important traditional tree of Punjab and the government was taking all possible steps for its protection. —Reporter