Daily Times

KHYBER AGENCY: With the motto of “one house one plant”,a special awareness and plantation campaign was initiated at the forest base nursery located at the railway station of Tehsil Landi Kotal on Wednesday.

In this connection, an impressive gathering was organised which was attended by Landi Kotal Assistant Political Agent Niaz Muhammad as the chief guest, beside a number of tribal elites, administration officials, welfare organisation members, forestry officials and a member of civil society.

The chief guest planted a sapling to formally inaugurate the plantation campaign

Speaking on the occasion, Niaz Muhammad highlighted the importance of plantation and said plants not only halted natural disasters like floods but it acted like air pollution controlling systems, keeping the eco system in balance.

“It is the sacred duty of every single person to look after the saplings after its plantation,” he urged.

He assured every possible support in that regard to keep the area green and environment healthy.

Sub-divisional forest officer Muhammad Ejaz,in his speech, asked elders to restrict the dwellers to cut plants for cooking food purpose and directed the forest department to plant more trees in the mountainous areas of Landi Kotal.

He added that 0.1 million saplings would be planted in the on-going plantation drive in the area.

Malik Masal Khan and Malik Darya Khan Afridi also spoke on the occasion.

At the end, 35,000 saplings of pine and eucalyptus were distributed among the tribesmen.

Published in Daily Times, February 22^nd 2018.