Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) Rawalpindi on the directives of Advisor to the Chief Minister Punjab and Chairman PHA Rawalpindi, Asif Mehmood has planted over 150,000 saplings in different city areas, Murree and alongside new Islamabad Airport Road. According to Director Horticulture PHA, Sheikh Tariq Mahmood, the authority was carrying out mass plantation under ongoing monsoon plantation campaign and the target of 200,000 plants, given by the Punjab government to the authority would be achieved before September 15.
Solid steps were taken by the PHA to complete the tree plantation drive in Rawalpindi city. Various types of saplings were being planted at a distance of 8 to 10 feet by the authority alongside new Islamabad Airport Road, he said adding, the plantation was being carried out with the help of various private institutions. PHA had planted over 120,000 saplings on new Islamabad Airport Road.
The Adviser had directed the authorities concerned to complete the plantation target as soon as possible, he added. He informed that PHA also planted saplings at Fazaia College Nur Khan Base and sixth road under ongoing monsoon tree plantation campaign.
Saplings were planted on sixth road with the help of local community while Principal Fazia College and students also took part in the plantation drive conducted in the college premises. He said, PHA had planted over 31,000 saplings in city areas during this season. He informed that PHA Rawalpindi was utilizing all available resources to achieve the target of 200,000 plants set by the Punjab government. PHA was striving to provide clean and healthy environment to the citizens as per vision of the Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar.
PHA and Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP) also jointly organized a monsoon tree plantation campaign on Murree Expressway and Kashmir Point. PHA planted thousands of saplings on various highways and greenbelts of Rawalpindi city under monsoon tree plantation campaign. The citizens and students of schools and colleges were also motivated and involved in the ongoing plantation campaign.
The authority was also making efforts to spread awareness about importance of trees and plantation campaign, he said and informed that PHA was also distributing saplings among the citizens. The authority had planted more saplings than its target during the monsoon as the PHA was given a target of 18,000 saplings for monsoon tree plantation campaign while it managed to plant 31,000 saplings. He informed that PHA also monitors saplings through geo-tagging after planting as DG PHA Zaheer Anwar Jappa had given clear instructions that saplings should be taken care of after planting.
To a question he said that the authority was working beyond its jurisdiction and planting saplings in Cantt, Murree areas and new Airport Road. During the current monsoon season, PHA also provided 5,000 saplings to the Education Department, private educational institutions and District Council Rawalpindi to plant within the boundary walls of their premises, he added.
