Daily Times

The Sindh government is all set to launch the country’s first-ever geo-tagging plantation app named ‘Hara Bhara Pakistan’ (Green Pakistan), which will help record data on tree plantation in the country.

Using the geo-tagging app, people and organisations can upload the picture of saplings they have planted, which will help create a database of trees in the country.

The app will allow user to capture multiple locations details, images and information related to plantation.

Talking to Daily Times, Karachi Commissioner Muhammad Saleh Farooqi said, “The geo-tagging app will make it possible to upload photos of tree plantation showing exact location. After downloading the mobile app, people and organizations will be able to record the data on tree plantation”.

Farooqi said it was necessary to create awareness among masses about plantation and this app would keep the record of the number of trees planted by everyone, especially general public, social and voluntary organisations, industry and trade representatives.

“In a bid to encourage plantation drive on mass scale, I have undertaken this initiative as there is a dire need to create awareness among masses about plantation, encouraging every citizen of the country to be part of green Pakistan campaign,” Farooqi added.

The commission said that the app would have different threads, including schools, private organizations, households, government organizations, etc so that everybody could contribute and share their input. “People will have choice to create groups, references on the app with their names.”

He said that an android app had been devolved, while the app for Apple software would be available in a few days. “A team of students is working on this and we are also engaging students of other cities, including Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar to spread the message of ‘Hara Bhara Pakistan’ across the country. We will also encourage celebrities, politicians and other public figures to upload picture of plantation to encourage and motivate their followers for being part of this noble cause.”

Commenting on uprooting of conocarpus trees, an alien plant species for Karachi, Farooqi said around 6000 trees had been removed from the route of Green Line Bus project and three plants were being planted there in place of one conocarpus tree.

In the next few months, 18,000 new trees will be planted in the city with the help of district municipal corporations *DMCs) and other local bodies, he said, adding: “We have asked the Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) not to plant cornocarpus trees anywhere in the city.”

Earlier, the commissioner chaired a meeting on tree plantation in Karachi where he urged relevant organisations, corporate sector, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and government departments to play their role for making Karachi green.

Published in Daily Times, August 10^th 2018.