Daily Times

Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) launched a Monsoon Tree Plantation Drive 2018 on Friday.

Chief Commissioner Islamabad Jawdat Ayaz was the chief guest at the launching ceremony. The chief commissioner launched the tree plantation campaign by planting a Ficus Virens plant sapling.

The Tree Plantation campaign was launched in a colourful ceremony which was attended by the Deputy Mayor Azam Khan, Syed Zeeshan Naqvi and Rifat Javed, MCI Chief Officer Najaf Iqbal Syed, elected chairmen of different union councils, officers and officials of MCI, civil society, environmentalists, representatives of non-governmental organisations and students of different educational institutes.

While briefing about the Monsoon Tree Plantation Drive-2018, Najaf Iqbal said that on the directions of Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz, MCI has taken steps to practically engage all stake holders in the Monsoon Tree Plantation Campaign 2018. He informed that during the current Monsoon Tree Plantation Drive, 150,000 saplings would be planted in the Margalla Hill National Park, in areas of Simly Dam and other forested areas of the city while 150,000 would be planted in urban areas including green belts, parks and other areas of the city. He further said that 3,000 plants would be planted at the site where the ceremony was organised.

Addressing the ceremony, CC Jawdat Ayaz said that maximum plantation of trees would purify the environment, which would help reduce pollution in the city. He said that the purpose of plantation campaigns is to create awareness among the residents about the importance of plants; therefore, residents should actively participate in preservation of green character of the city so that desired results could be achieved. He said that local and indigenous species should be preferred to ensure maximum survival rate.

Published in Daily Times, August 18^th 2018.