LAHORE: Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Dr Hassan Askari inaugurated the monsoon tree plantation campaign by planting a tree in the lawns of Chief Minister’s House on Thursday. A target of planting 300 million trees in three months has been fixed during this campaign. Parks & Horticulture Authority (PHA) will also plant different kinds of plants and fruit trees in the provincial metropolis to help restore its natural beauty and grandeur. Talking on the occasion, he said the purpose of this campaign is to motivate the people to plant more and more plants as trees play an important role in maintaining environmental cleanliness and overcoming the pollution. People should plant maximum number of trees in this campaign to make it a success, he added. In fact, plantation of trees plays an important role in keeping the environment clean and green and it’s also a source of socio-economic benefits. Similarly, it helps to control the environmental pollution. He said the trees are an important source of controlling land erosion and helps in flood control also. It is our collective responsibility to take active part in this campaign by planting maximum number of trees. All the segments of the society will have to lend a helping hand in this noble cause, he added. He said that ensuring proper looking after of plants after the campaign is also the responsibility of the society. Trees provide different fruits and shade to others; therefore, such plants should be sown which could provide both the benefits. The chief minister expressed the satisfaction that vast opportunities of investment are available in the provincial forestry sector. We should play our individual and collective roles by planting maximum number of trees to keep the environment safe from degradation, he said. He said that maximum number of trees should be planted to combat the issue of climate change. He said that trees are the natural sources of generating oxygen besides being helpful to overcoming the environmental pollution and the job of overcoming the environmental degradation is an important service to the humanity. He appealed to the people to plant trees in their homes and actively participate in this national cause because trees enhance the natural beauty and provide clean environment to the citizens. Therefore, people should actively participate to make tree plantation campaign a success. This campaign will also be initiated in different public sector institutions so that the youth could also participate in this noble cause, concluded the CM. Provincial Ministers Zia Haider Rizvi, Ahmad Waqas Riaz, PHA additional director general and other officers were also present on the occasion. CM Dr Hassan Askari said, “In fact, plantation of trees plays an important role in keeping the environment clean and green and it’s also a source of socio-economic benefits. Similarly, it helps to control the environmental pollution.” The caretaker CM said the trees are an important source of controlling land erosion and helps in flood control also. “It is our collective responsibility to take active part in this campaign by planting maximum number of trees. All the segments of the society will have to lend a helping hand in this noble cause,” he added. He said that ensuring proper looking after of plants after the campaign is also the responsibility of the society. Trees provide different fruits and shade to others; therefore, such plants should be sown which could provide both the benefits. Dr Hassan Askari expressed the satisfaction that vast opportunities of investment are available in the provincial forestry sector. “We should play our individual and collective roles by planting maximum number of trees to keep the environment safe from degradation,” he said. He said that maximum number of trees should be planted to combat the issue of climate change, adding that trees are the natural sources of generating oxygen besides being helpful to overcoming the environmental pollution and the job of overcoming the environmental degradation is an important service to the humanity. The caretaker CM appealed to the people to plant trees in their homes and actively participate in this national cause because trees enhance the natural beauty and provide clean environment to the citizens. Published in Daily Times, July 13th 2018.