Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam on Monday directed to dedicate 20 percent of the positions of forest Nighebans (forest watchers) for females and women for nursery plantation.
According to the press release, he passed these directions while chairing a sixth meeting of the Federal Forestry Board.
On the occasion, SAPM Malik Amin Aslam directed the forest secretaries of the provinces, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan to mobilize all resources to achieve the target of planting one billion trees by the end of June 30 this year.
Lauding the untiring efforts and smooth coordination with the federal government, he also pledged his all-out support to the provincial forest departments to achieve the target.
SAPM also suggested that dedicated days for plantation with judiciary, schools, media, teachers, prayer leaders, NGOs and other government and non-governmental sectors should be identified/set for plantation under upcoming Spring tree plantation campaign for year 2022.
The Special Assistant to PM Malik Amin Aslam directed that all provinces should be taken on board for achieving the spring tree plantation target and a digital dashboard should be established for monitoring of the online progress of the tree plantations. He stressed that data regarding plantations and other relevant activities TBTTP must be uploaded timely on the digital dashboard of the programme for public information. He directed the Board to plan for setting up woodlots on private lands in different parts of the country, which would serve as a parcel of a woodland or forest capable of small-scale production of forest products as well as recreational uses like bird watching, bush walking, and wildflower appreciation.
During the meeting, National Project Director of the Ten Billion Tree Tsunami Programme (TBTTP) briefed SAPM Malik Amin Aslam about the updated physical and financial progress of the TBTTP project. The Board was informed that over 70 percent of the plantation target of 502.500 million set for three-month monsoon season 2021, which ended in September last year, has been achieved. The Board was also apprised that a target of one billion tree plantation was set for the FY 2021-22 under TBTTP that included both monsoon and spring tree plantation targets.
