Summary Rs 16 billion allocated for the plantation programme
ISLAMABAD (APP) - Balochistan government in the wake of rejuvenating its green reserves and diminishing wildlife species has approved a huge project of planting 250 million saplings in the next five years under ‘Clean Green Pakistan’ project.
The largest southern-coastal province of the country had been facing under direct impacts of climate change in the form of prolonged droughts and disturbed rainfall patterns resulting flash floods. The large number of plantation across the province would help reduce the challenges and impacts of global warming.
Talking to APP, an official source on Sunday said that the total cost of Rs 16 billion had been allocated for the plantation programme with the cooperation of the federal government.
He told that the federal government had committed 50 per cent of the total amount of the cost of the project.
He further said the provincial government had also initiated a programme for the revival of wildlife in the province which would be completed in the period of five years.
He said out of the total cost of the wildlife conservation project around Rs 3.5 billon had been allocated with 75 per cent share of the federal government with the aim to boost the declining ratios of wildlife in the province.
The official said the main purpose of both the projects was restoration of forests and mitigation of climatic issues besides the provincial government was also taking extensive measures to save wildlife.
He said these projects would be bringing economic activities and empowerment opportunities for the local communities in the area.
He said that the government has directed the forest department to establish model nurseries on regional level in the province whereas the general public would also be engaged in the massive plantation campaign.
The provincial Forest Department had already distributed saplings among the citizens.
He said the government had prioritized to make the hilly areas of the province clean and green clean environment as trees play major role in improving the urban landscape and help protect the province environment.
He said the provincial government had introduced new law to reserve the forest in the province, saying, the government had cancelled the existing forest regulation act 1890 and forest act 1927.
He added that the government had planned to persuade the plantation of olive trees in the dehydrated areas of province due to its low water consumption and the government would assist the farmers in planting the olive trees.
The official said the plantation of more fruit trees was important to reduce food insecurity and it would also help earn revenue by exporting the production to potential countries.
