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LAHORE, Jun 21 (APP): Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has said that the provincial budget strongly reflects her government’s eco-friendly vision, with landmark initiatives being launched under the Punjab Green Program to combat climate change and promote sustainable development.
In a statement on Saturday, the CM, highlighting key features of the Chief Minister’s Plant for Pakistan Initiative, revealed that a large-scale tree plantation campaign has been launched, aiming to plant 42 million trees across 50,869 acres. Under the CM Agroforestry Initiative, 1.375 million trees are being planted over 3,790 acres of forest wasteland.
The CM announced the expansion of the Green Pakistan Program, under which the plantation of 466.463 million trees over 251,000 acres is underway. Additionally, a separate drive to plant 5 million trees in rows along 10,223 avenue miles in canal areas of Punjab has also been activated.
CM Maryam Nawaz added that steps are being taken to provide world-class facilities for the promotion of eco-tourism in Lal Suhanra National Park and the Salt Range. These include deployment of wireless networks, GPS devices, CCTV cameras, and digital monitoring tools.
To preserve natural landscapes and biodiversity, she noted that work has begun on a LEED-certified eco-friendly multi-storey building for the establishment of a protected nature zone, equipped with modern facilities for staff and researchers.
She highlighted the launch of the Shielding Summits Program in the hilly areas of Murree and Kahuta, which includes the recruitment of 600 fire watchers, provision of firefighting vehicles, watch towers, and disaster prevention mechanisms. Restoration of forest tracks and the construction of water tanks for spring preservation are also integral components of the program.
The CM pointed out the introduction of a modern GIS-based forest protection system, enabling real-time detection of forest fires and encroachments using drones, satellites, and LIDAR technology.
A Digital Communication Cell has been established within the Forest Department, along with the provision of modern monitoring equipment and additional staff for its Monitoring & Evaluation Wing. In addition, digital tree enumeration and GIS-based tree surveys have been initiated for better forest management and transparency.
The CM also shared that modern forestry machinery has been procured to accelerate plantation and field operations. She added that the establishment of 104 Forest Command & Control Centers across the province will ensure round-the-clock forest monitoring, significantly strengthening Punjab’s forest protection infrastructure.
These wide-ranging green initiatives, she said, clearly reflect the government’s commitment to climate resilience, environmental sustainability, and a cleaner, greener future for Punjab.