KARACHI, Sept 12: Naib Nazim Nasreen Jalil has said that despite resource constraints and growing problems, the city government has made a commitment to make the city green and pleasant.

Speaking as chief guest at the launch of “Mission Greener Karachi” held at the lawns of City Naib Nazim Secretariat on Tuesday, she said that a resolution for protection of trees would be moved before the City Council.

On the occasion, trees were planted by US Consul-General Mary H. Witt, French Consul-General Pierre Seilan, British Deputy High Commissioner Hamish St Clair Daniel, Swiss Consul General Martin Blenz, Japanese Consul General Shoichi Nakano, State Bank Governor Shamshad Akhtar, Hamdard Foundation President Saadia Rashid and Karachi University Vice-Chancellor Dr Pirzada Qasim.

After the ceremony, Shamshad Akhtar congratulated Nasreen Jalil for launching the campaign with reference to “Mission Greener Karachi” and expressed hope that it would meet success. She assured all cooperation to the city government in this respect.

Nasreen Jalil said that plantation would be carried out to meet the target of one tree for one person and provide at least five square meter open space for each citizen to plant saplings. She said that plantation drive would continue till Dec 31.

She informed that a three-day training workshop would be organised from Sept 13-15 in various schools, union councils and towns, where experts of city government’s horticulture department would deliver lectures on gardening.She said that 0.5 million trees would be planted in the first phase by schools, private organisations and nazims of towns and union councils in their respective areas.

She said that in order to ensure effectiveness of the drive, the campaign would be computerised to watch how many plants were provided to whom and how many of them survived and nourished.

The naib nazim said the highest planter of trees with highest ratio of survival during the three-month campaign would be awarded commendation certificate.

She said that media could play an important role in creating awareness about tree plantation among citizens and they could be induced that each citizen may plant at least one tree and fulfil responsibility for its nourishment. She said that City Nazim Mustafa Kamal was not only working for improvement of the city’s infrastructure but he was also keen to see it green.

The ceremony was also attended by the Consul Generals of Germany, Afghanistan, Poland and other countries, diplomats of Bahraiin, Indonesia, Iran, Monaco, President SAARC Women Association Begum Bina Munir, Advisor Information Salahuddin Haider, representatives of KPT, Habib Bank and EDOs of various departments.They congratulated the naib nazim on the launch of Mission Greener Karachi.—APP