Tree plantation receiving attention in Balochistan

Tree plantation receiving attention in Balochistan

Editorial :

The tree plantation campaign currently underway across Balochistan has received national attention and praise. Despite some questions about the volume of funds, human-resource, and its impacts, people have praised the plantation drive in Balochistan and other parts of the country.

For the first time, a massive tree plantation is underway at Band Khushdil Khan Pishin, Maslakh, Hanna Urak, and other parts of the province. Taraqee Foundation (TF), a non-governmental organization deserves appreciation for highlighting the importance of tree plantation and on-airing messages of celebrities regarding the need to plant maximum trees.

TF plans to plant over 30,000 trees in Band Khushdil Khan Pishin 

The TF plans to plant over 30,000 trees in the Band Khushdil Khan area of Pishin. This plantation can play a crucial role in the maintenance of the ecoy-system by releasing oxygen into the air, absorb harmful gases such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, etc.

However, there is still a question mark over the sustainability of this project. Who will manage this project? Who will ensure providing water to trees? These questions need to be answered.

It has always been observed that tree plantation campaigns kick off from the governor’s house and chief minister’s secretariat in Quetta. The newspapers and other media outlets carry photographs of governors and chief ministers planting trees.

Plantation campaigns must go beyond photo sessions 

However, tree plantation campaigns must go beyond photo sessions since this province is prone to all-natural disasters. The Prime Minister’s program of planting 10bs trees has been praised internally and abroad.

What is Balochistan’s share in the program, this needs to be propagated and shared with people. Yes, government alone cannot do this. Rather, political parties, civil society, tribal elites, religious scholars need to be taken on board to plant maximum trees in the province to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

A task force needs to be formed

A task-force comprising officials from the forest department, education department, NGOs, and environment department need to be formed to execute tree plantation projects. The province covers half of the country in terms of the area so it needs a strong viable strategy to mitigate the impacts of global warming.

Teachers and students need to be involved in the campaign to ensure the plantation of trees in over 14,000 schools across Balochistan. This will have a very powerful impact on the plantation campaign.

Pakistan is the fifth most vulnerable country to the effects of climate change. Since Balochistan covers half of the country in terms of areas, therefore, this province needs a strong strategy to plant trees to mitigate the impacts of global warming.

Tree plantation receiving attention in Balochistan