950823

21 cos awarded

contract for

plantation along

highways

ISLAMABAD: Chairman, National Highway Authority Shahid Aziz Siddiqi, has said that contracts for planting trees along national highways have been awarded to 21 plantation companies, which will pave the way to improve the environmental conditions in the country. He said while presiding over a special session on plantation held at NHA Headquarters on Wednesday.

On this occasion, giving a detailed description of plantation programme, NHA's General Manager (Environment) Sami-ul-Haq Khilji said that one crore trees will be planted along the national highways and it is made imperative that one third of the total plantation be completed during the running season.

He said, the contractors concerned will be held responsible to take care of the trees for five years and that they are directed to prepare their nurseries themselves, and that 25 percent "margosa" trees be planted because they play vital role to decrease the frequency of sound and bad effects of the smoke.

He further said, an Environment Cell has been established in the National Highway Authority and a separate consultant will be posted for this purpose. He said, hoardings containing necessary information about environment will also be installed at a distance of every 25 kms along the national highways.-APP