PTI government’s flagship project ‘Billion Tree Tsunami’ has provided jobs to thousands of labourers and daily wage workers in the wake of coronavirus lockdown.

According to news report, about 66,291 workers got jobs in Billion Tree Tsunami project after getting unemployed due to lockdown amid Coronavirus. Muhammad Tehmasip Project Director said that the KPK Forest Department has provided approximately 22,000 jobs to unemployed workers in forest nurseries, enclosures and afforestation programmes. Muhammad added that the Forest Department has taken this initiative as part of KPK government’s initiatives of job creation within the green sector during the Coronavirus lockdown.

Muhammad Tehmasip also revealed that the workers were carrying out jobs in forest tube nurseries, enclosures, and bare-rooted nurseries. He said that the labourers were also responsible for mobilising the public for spring plantation drives, watering new plantations and protection of jungles and afforestation. The labourers were receiving PKR 15,000 monthly, and PKR 150,000 per year each, he added.

The project manager also explained that these jobs were called green jobs as they helped to combat climate change, reduce pressure on wildlife resources and forests, economically empower communities, and keep the economy running during COVID-19 Lockdown. He also said that the labourers and daily wagers had been recruited to meet the target of planting 100 million saplings by June 30 under the Ten Billion Trees Afforestation Project.