THE spring tree plantation campaign has been kicked off. More than 70 million saplings would be planted all over the country during the ongoing campaign.

The campaigns are launched twice a year; on the eve of spring and the monsoon seasons.

These efforts are aimed at inducing the masses for growing more trees.

Unfortunately the campaigns remain confined to the photo sessions of the VIPs inaugurating the occasion with a fun-fare. This is going on for years and years.

The campaigns did very little to do the needful as no substantial results had been forthcoming. No monitoring system is in place to ensure planting of the saplings and their subsequent lookafter.

In spite of the campaigns, the green area is shrinking.

The country is in dire need of more and more area under trees. This is necessary for maintaining an ecological balance, clean environment and inducing rainfall.

The year 2009 has already been declared as 'National Year of Environment'.

The forest area in the country is just five per cent which is much below the desired level. More trees are cut than those planted. This is resulting in deforestation at an alarming rate.

On the pretext of construction of roads and other facilities, trees are being cut and uprooted.

The timber mafia is very active, particularly in the NWFP. The government will have to rein in such elements.

In the absence of alternative resources and increase in population in the rural areas, the demand of firewood is galloping fast and forcing the people to use the precious timber wood as firewood.

This situation is adversely affecting the construction sector.

The government needs to explore other avenues of energy for rural kitchens. The reserves of the natural gas are not enough to meet the requirements.

The experiment of biogas has failed to deliver. Coal as a major energy source for cooking in rural areas could be an option. There are said to be ample coal reserves in the country which need to be exploited.

And, finally, participation of the people in tree plantation could be helpful only in maintaining green and clean environment in towns and the cities.

The major task of increasing the forest area and providing the rural population the much-needed energy resources is the sole responsibility of the government.

ANIS SIDDIQUI

Islamabad