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15m trees to be planted in Sindh during spring

KARACHI: Sindh Government will plant 15 million trees of various kinds in the province during spring tree plantation campaign to improve environment.

This was stated by Sindh Forest and Environment Minister Iftikhar Ahmed Soomro, while presiding over a meeting here on Sunday, which reviewed the arrangements for tree plantation in the province, scheduled to begin from February 15.

He said the campaign will not only improve environment in the province but make province self-sufficient in timer production for commercial and domestic use.

Sindh Governor Azim Daudpota will inaugurate the campaign and notables, commissioners and deputy commissioners will inaugurate campaign in their respective areas.

The minister said that federal government has given the target for planting 15 million trees in the entire province, of which 10 million will be planted in forests while 5 million in cities, towns and villages.

People from all walks of life will be involved in the campaign to make it a success, he added.

Secretary Forest and Environment Shamsul Haq Memon told the meeting that his department has created a network of nurseries all over the province where 50 million tree saplings of various kinds are available for growers, people, armed forces, education department and other governmental and non-governmental organisations.

He said mobile nurseries have been constituted for the transportation of these trees to Karachi and other big cities in the province which will also provide technical information to the interested people.

In addition, large size trees will also be provided at a very nominal cost to people at nurseries in Karachi and Hyderabad, he added.

He said forest department will also organise stalls at weekly bazaars on the instruction of provincial minister to sell tree saplings to people at concessional rates and give useful information about environment protection. APP