Sindh government focusing on urban forestry to combat climate challenges

KARACHI: The Sindh government is focusing on urban forestry to combat the challenges of the climatic changes being faced by the province, a government official said.

Sindh Minister for Information, Forests and Local Bodies Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said that on the directives of Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the provincial government is making efforts to overcome environmental degradation.

He stated this at a ceremony, organised to distribute 14 boats for carrying out forest regeneration in riverine forests of Sindh and awarding of appreciation certificates on showing excellent performance in the collection of babul seed by forest officials at Satian Jo Astan, Rohri section of the River Indus late Friday night.

The boats would be utilised to broadcast seeds, including that of Neem tree, babool and other species during flooding of the forest areas, he said, adding that it was aimed at restoring forests to their original shape.

Thousands of trees are being planted in these areas, the minister said the provincial government has started tree plantation after removing encroachments.

During 2004/05, the Sindh government had rejected the lease orders to the revenue department and handed over thousands of acres of land to the forest department after removing encroachments from them.

Shah vowed to implement the vision of the PPP chairman, adding that Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and his cabinet, including the forest department, were making all-out efforts to promote tree plantation in the province.

The provincial government is making all-out efforts to make the Green Pakistan Programme a success, the minister said, and urged the civil society organisations to play their due role in this regard. The minister appreciated the forest officials who collected 500 maunds of babool seeds.

Chief conservator of forests riverine and inland forests in Hyderabad Dr Abdul Jabbar Kazi said that 2021 would be marked as the year for the restoration of forests in Sindh, the minister said, adding that Rs1.8 million were spent on the boats, which were handed over to various divisions of the forest department.

The regeneration is a method of planting forests when floodwater in the River Indus recedes by seed broadcast method.

Meanwhile, talking to newsmen, Nasir Hussain Shah said that encroachments from several forest areas have been removed, adding that he was thankful to the Sindh High Court and other courts in this respect.

The minister said he would help the forest department in removing encroachments from the lands of government departments, such as irrigation, railways and others. He assured the victims, whose houses were demolished during the anti-encroachment drive, that they would be given alternative places.

Because of the ineptitude of the federal government, people are being greatly disturbed these days, he said, adding that the anti-people policies of the federal government made the lives of the people miserable, resulting in an early departure of the government.

Regarding appointment of new Karachi administrator, the minister said Sindh Governor Imran Ismail and other PTI members are opposing Murtaza Wahab’s name for the position.

Shah said that the name of Murtaza Wahab is not under consideration for the Karachi administrator’s position, but if appointed, he could manage the affairs of the city in an efficient manner.

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