The Capital Development Authority (CDA) would plant 500,000 saplings during the monsoon plantation campaign.
This was announced by CDA Chairman Engineer Farkhand Iqbal while inaugurating the monsoon tree plantation campaign in Sector G-14, Kashmir Highway, on Wednesday.
The CDA chairman said the civic body was making all-out efforts to increase the green cover and preserve the green character of the federal capital. He said the CDA had planned to plant 180,000 trees in the urban areas of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).
These saplings would be planted in avenues, greenbelts, Islamabad Highway, parks, playfields and new sectors. The CDA chairman said that 320,000 saplings would be planted in the suburbs, including Margalla Hills and Simly catchments. Out of these, 200,000 trees would be planted in Margalla Hills as a part of the effort to further increase greenery in the Margalla Hills National Park whereas 120,000 saplings would be planted in the Simly catchments.
He said the CDA was focusing on planting indigenous species and fruit trees, including chir pine, kachnar, amaltas, dhreak, jacaranda, olive and jaman etc.
The chairman reiterated that strict monitoring of the planted saplings would be carried out to ensure their maximum survival.
He said the CDA was seeking cooperation of the general public, educational institutions, NGOs, government employees and traders to make this campaign successful.
Comprehensive arrangements have been made to raise awareness in this regard so that maximum people could be involved in the plantation drive. Under the awareness campaign, posters, banners and streamers have been displayed in different areas of the city whereas car stickers, paper bags and badges carrying slogans for planting trees are being distributed.
