KARACHI, Oct 23: Shahida Farooq, a noted activist working for better environment has appreciated the city government’s initiative of launching the ‘Mission Green Karachi’, saying that such an initiative was long due.

In a statement, she observed that no campaign for tree plantation and greenery development run in the past could meet the desired success because of a lack of spirit, sincerity and missionary zeal for the cause.

She attributed the results to the attitudes of successive governments which did not attach due priority to a healthy and clean environment and considered this task as being of least importance.

The outcome of this apathetic attitude, she pointed out, could be seen in the shape of ever changing weather conditions in this city. She observed that instead of increasing the number of trees, green patches and belts across the city, the existing ones were being cut down by certain elements without any fear of law.

Ms Farooq said that keeping these drawbacks and deficiencies in view, she had launched an awareness campaign and ultimately succeeded in getting a bill on parks and trees passed through the Sindh Assembly many years back. The law, she said, provides for punishment to those cutting down trees illegally.

She said that the idea of launching the campaign to persuade people to ‘adopt’ a park, playground or roundabout had also gone down the drain, and this had snatched away the initiative from the private sector which had been so enthusiastic when this idea was floated.

The ‘Mission Green Karachi’ too is an appreciable initiative, but unless it is strictly implementation with a proper planning and emphasis on the use of indigenous, instead of imported, plants, the desired results are unlikely to be achieved, according to Ms Farooq.

She said that the ever-growing pollution in the city had necessitated an immediate action to control the environmental degradation and to give top priority to the issue in order to protect future generations from the health hazards to which Karachiites were already exposed now.

She suggested that in all new constructions, provision of a certain area for greenery must be ensured in future. She said that a law in this regard was there but it was not being followed.

Ms Farooq said that Eidul Fitr provided an opportunity to carry forward the Mission Green Karachi by gifting beautiful plants to each other.—APP