RAWALPINDI: The environment conscience residents of Chaklala Cantonment on Sunday expressed dismay over damage inflicted by the unknown to saplings planted along Tufail Road to protect the green and clean environment.
It was with utter dismay that the Chaklala Cantonment Board (CCB) authorities on the persistent demand of nature loving residents of the area started the monsoon tree plantation and planted a dozen saplings on Tufail road where on the very next day some scrupulous elements uprooted the plantation, told Mr Suleman Hedayat an area resident who avidly pursued the authorities to ensure plantation.
Mr Hedayat said while the CCB staff kept a watch on the first day and the guards along the road side flats had been asked to keep a lookout that the new plants were not damaged. “One is flabbergasted to learn that the new plantations were uprooted on the very next day. While the government is actively pursuing clean and green Pakistan, it is sad to learn that a noble endeavour has been thrown in the dust bin, ” he regretted.
Ms Uzma Pasha, another area resident also expressed her disappointment on the matter and said the area was already lacking green cover due to increasing urbanisation sprawl in the country. “These saplings will have been a source of some relief after growing into full trees. But, some fanatic or ill minded individuals have took out the saplings which is unforgivable, ” she added.
When contacted, the CCB official presented their brief version on the matter. He said the Board has the responsibility to plant and water the saplings in the region. However, it did not have a huge force of guards to deploy single individual on each sapling to protect it, adding, it was the public responsibility to take ownership of the plantation which was carried out with tax payers money, he said.