Tree plantation campaign starts in Kurram Agency

Wednesday, February 23, 2011, Rabbi-ul-Awwal 19, 1432

Tree plantation campaign starts in Kurram Agency

Parachinar—The spring tree plantation campaign 2011 has been started in Kurram Agency and samplings of different species were dispatched to farmers, educational organizations and other stakeholders to make the agency lush green. Syed Musadique Shah, Political Agent Khurram Agency inaugurated the plantation campaign by planting a sampling of Deodar at his office's premises on Tuesday.

Speaking on the occasion, the agency's top administrator said forestry resources are playing key role in socio-economic development of people and issue of desertification, climatic change and soil erosion could be addressed by planting maximum samplings. Local communities are being encouraged through their respective village/tribes developmental committees (VDCs) to help carry out most of the planting, while individual farmers will be facilitated on their farms and fields.

He urged tribesmen to sow maximum samplings of different species in their lands/farms to make Kurram Agency lush green. The Political Agent directed the Forest Department to sow maximum plantation at Toothgar Dam to ward off the affects of soil erosion and will protect land from soil. DFO Nisar Muhammad and SDFO Hazrat Mir said that Kurram Agency has been divided in Central, Lower and Upper Kurram Agency and fit planting stocks have been sent to the stakeholders for plantation.

The saplings of different species would be planted with the assistance of education institutions, armed forces, NGOs and civil society to boost forest resources in Kurram Agency. The saplings are being sent to government departments, farmers and NGOs to achieve the target also, they added. They urged stakeholders to contact with Forest Department for provision of samplings.

The Comsats Institute of Information and Technology (CIIT) launched an extensive drive for spring tree plantation here Tuesday. Rector CIIT Dr. S.M. Junaid Zaidi inaugurated the campaign by planting a sapling. Addressing to the gathering he said trees provided pollution free environment so it was necessary to ensure maximum growth of trees for better environment. The director CIIT Dr. Sherzada said 2500 trees would be planted during the campaign. He said funds of Rs 472 million had approved for construction of new building of the campus over the area of 300 kanals. Later students of CIIT Attock planted trees in different areas of the campus.—APP
 

SOURCE:  

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