Lahore: The second phase of the Plant for Punjab Campaign was officially launched at the Lahore Safari Zoo on Monday, a news source reported. This campaign is geared towards planting around two million saplings by June 2019.
The campaign comes as part of the Green Pakistan Programme. Under this initiative, the Punjab government plans to plant 150 million saplings in the province. Around 12 million of these will be planted during spring. Meanwhile, the Punjab Forestry Department (PFD) has successfully planted over 50 million saplings in nurseries.
PFD Deputy Director Mohammad Saleem said that public support is required to achieve the campaign’s goals. He also remarked that government departments and other organisations must work together for this national cause.
Saleem stated that the aim of this campaign is to encourage people to plant a maximum number of saplings. He informed that the government has established 244 points across Punjab from where citizens can avail saplings to plant.
The deputy director reported that this is the first time that urban forestry has come to Punjab. According to this policy’s rules, it will be compulsory to plant trees in open areas of houses, private buildings, and plazas.
Owners of 12 acres of land in a pre-urban areas will add greenery to 11-acres of the land
Housing schemes will have to cover 3% of their allotted land with greenery
Rooftops and other parts of big buildings will also get plantations.
