KARACHI, Feb 12: About 100 amenity plots, originally specified for development of parks in Gulistan-i-Jauhar, have illegally been converted into commercial plots.

This was disclosed by the District Officer (Parks and Horticulture), City District Government Karachi, Liaquat Ali Khan, while speaking at a seminar on Ensuring a Truly Effective Tree Plantation Campaign organized by Pakistan Press Foundation at its Vicky Zeitlin Media Library here on Thursday.

Mr Khan revealed that original maps of Gulistan-i-Johar had been tampered with to convert certain amenity plots into commercial ones. Such maps could be viewed at the CDGK's concerned office, he said.

"Originally, there had been 135 sites specified for parks in the area's original plan. However, the maps now show only 36/37 plots available for the purpose," he added.

He said that after taking over as the DO, he personally looked into the matter and brought it to the notice of the CDGK's high-ups and an inquiry committee was set up to probe into the illegal practice which deprived people of the area of a lot of parks.

"The committee is about to complete its investigation as its members have already gone through each and every aspect. Its findings would soon be made public," he said.

Mr Khan declared that all those involved in the illegal sale of the amenity plots would be taken to task and the case would be referred to government institution.

The racket, according to the DO, had been unearthed following a close monitoring of the concerned departments. During the process, those interrogated had been trying to disown his responsibility, he added. He pointed out that such practices were not confined to one particular area as similar cases had come to light in other parts of the city.

He apprehended that there would be no space left for parks in the city if such illegal practices were allowed to continue unabated. If amenity plots were converted into commercial ones, more congested localities like Kharadar and Mithadar would emerge in future elsewhere in the metropolis, he added.

About the subject issue, Liaquat Ali Khan said that the CDGK had launched a scheme to promote a culture of tree plantation by persuading citizen to donate a tree worth Rs3,000 after the name of beloved ones. The city government has allowed people to set up nurseries.

There are, at present, more than 300 nurseries in the city which have brought a green revolution, giving a pleasant look to the metropolis. He criticized cutting of hundreds of Eucalyptus trees in some parts of the city for 'absurd' reasons.

Among others who spoke at the seminar were Shamsul Haq Memon, Provincial Secretary Forests, Dr Tahir Quraishi, Director Coastal Ecosystem IUCN, Tanveer Arif, CEO Society for Conservation and Protection of Environment (SCOPE), Shujauddin Quraishi, and Ms Samina Ishaq.

They stressed the need for private-public collaboration, especially with greater involvement of society, for making tree plantation campaign successful and called for proper maintenance of trees following plantation during the campaign. The three-day campaign is being launched in Sindh on Friday.

The speakers underscored the need for concerted efforts towards expanding forest areas and planting trees to save the environment from pollution. They proposed that cooperative forestry, involving groups of people, be encouraged. -PPI