PESHAWAR, Aug 09 (APP): Caretaker Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Azam Khan on Wednesday formally kicked off the monsoon tree plantation drive in the province.
The campaign would be executed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forest Department. The CM launched the campaign by planting a sapling in the lawn of the Chief Minister’s House.
The caretaker provincial forest minister and senior officials of the Forest Department were also present on the occasion.
Under the campaign, more than 13 million saplings will be planted across the province, the Chief Minister was informed during a briefing session. It was said that under the 10 billion tree project, the total forest area in the province has been increased by 6.3 percent.
The CM appreciated the role of Forest Department in protection of forests in the province and said that the importance and necessity of forests for the survival of human life cannot be denied.
He said that the importance of forests has increased manifold to cope with the effects of climate change.
The CM said that conservation of existing forests and large scale plantation is the need of the hour, adding that the government is taking pragmatic steps under a comprehensive strategy for this purpose.
He directed the forest department to ensure large scale plantation under the monsoon plantation drive and also ensure active participation of the local people to make it successful and achieve the required results.
He urged the masses to play their imperative role in the campaign while considering it a national obligation so that the future generations could get a pollution free and green environment.
APP/adi
