PM’s Clean, Green Pakistan campaign inspirational: Governor Sindh

KARACHI: Prime Minister Imran Khan’s envisioned Clean and Green Pakistan campaign has been inspirational for many public and private sector organizations to take practical measures for achieving the target of alleviating pollution, in the air ground and water.

These views were expressed by Sindh Governor Imran Ismail in his remarks on “Clean and Green Pakistan campaign”, a spokesperson of the Sindh Governor’s House told APP on Tuesday.

The Governor Sindh noted that the urban forest project was launched at the Governor House in March, 2021 on the occasion of International Day of Forests.

He said that the work on the urban forest is underway which would be developed on an acre inside the Governor House using the famous Japanese Miyawaki technique. Saplings of 1,260 different plant and trees species would be planted under the project conceived to further the 10 billion tsunami tree plantation programme of the federal government.

Imran Ismail recalled the project would create a favorable environment in just three years’ time, and the forest would attract birds and insects of different species, including honeybees.

The Miyawaki method was capable of growing trees 10 times faster than any other regular technique of increasing the green cover, the Governor added.

Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), and NED University of Engineering and Technology have also inked a Memorandum of Understanding in February 2021, for development of Miyawaki forest to increase beauty of Karachi, a spokesperson of KMC told APP.

He said that the MoU envisaged that the NED University would plant 300 Miyawaki forest and the KMC is taking all-out measures to make Karachi green.

Over 14,000 saplings have been planted by the KMC in various roads and parks during the tree plantation campaign carried out from February 15 to April 14, 2021, to make the environment of the city greener with the support of various organizations and civil society.

The KMC has performed plantation at the roads, arteries and parks included Shara Faisal, University Road, Korangi 8000 Road, Shahra-e-Pakistan, Rashid Minhas Road, Shahra-e-Qaedin, Jheel Park, Frere Hall, National Stadium, Bagh Ibn Qasim, Old Clifton, Polo Ground and Aziz Bhatti Park.

The trees included Amaltas, Bottle Brush, Cassia, Erethrena, Gul Mohar, Kachnar, Lignum, Red Poinciana tree, Sumbul, Tabebubia Yellow Flower and many others.

The U.S. Department of State has also installed four reference-grade air quality monitors in Pakistan to provide real-time outdoor air quality data to scientists and policymakers to address air quality issues.

The United States Consulate in Karachi has also launched “U.S. – Pakistan Friendship Garden” in Clifton Urban Forest a month ago, aimed to tackle the climate crisis by reducing pollutants and extreme heat events to help improve the air quality. Urban Forest has over 30,000 trees growing in sustainable Eco-systems.

Talking to APP, the General Secretary of Khadmin-e-Millat Pakistan (KMP), Sagheer Siddiqui was of the opinion that Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah was inspired by PM Imran Khan’s Clean and Green Pakistan Campaign when, the CM Sindh along with his Cabinet members planted a palm sapling on January 01, 2021, at the lawn of CM’s House and announced to plan an extensive tree plantation program for the next plantation season.

Sagheer Siddiqui said that environmental pollution could be controlled through plantation, because the it could play vital role in overcoming the climate change and pollution issues.