SUKKUR, Jul 10 (APP): The senior leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Member of the National Assembly (MNA), Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah, has directed the administration of the Sukkur to plant over 1 million trees along both banks of the Indus River.
He directed the Sukkur Commissioner to coordinate with the Irrigation department to execute the tree plantation project on both sides of the river.
While presiding over a meeting held at the Commissioner’s office here on Wednesday regarding tree plantation and developing green belts in Sukkur.
MNA Shah suggested that third party experts and non-governmental organizations should also be invited for support.
He also directed the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Sukkur, Dr Raja MB Dharejo to compile a list of all landowners and farmers, encourage them to plant trees, and provide compensation to those who do so.
Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah said that a comprehensive plan be developed to waive water fees for those farmers /landowners who plant trees. He said that cutting trees is punishable by law worldwide. However, in our country, people are cutting trees indiscriminately, as they please, he said and added that the cutting of trees in Sukkur is causing the groundwater to become increasingly saline and also causing intensive heat wave. If cutting a tree is absolutely necessary, it should be conditional on obtaining permission from the Deputy Commissioner, he added.
The MNA Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah emphasized that planting trees and creating green belts is now crucial to mitigate the effects of climate change and all concerned officials must take immediate and serious action to achieve this goal. He also directed the divisional commissioner Sukkur, Fayyaz Hussain Abbasi to hold a meeting with community representatives to discuss tree plantation and green belt projects in the city. Meanwhile, the divisional Commissioner Sukkur has formed a task force under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner Sukkur to oversee tree plantation and environmental conservation efforts.
The task force includes representatives from various departments. He directed the task force to start work within 15 days and to prepare a comprehensive plan for tree plantation and environmental conservation.
DC Sukkur and representatives of various departments, including Revenue, Forest, Agriculture, Irrigation, local government and other line department attended the meeting.