LAHORE: On the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, the Parks & Horticulture Authority (PHA) was going to develop Asia’s largest Miyawaki urban forest over an area of 100 kanals in China Park near Saggian Bridge by planting 112,500 indigenous trees and shrubs.
In a statement, the CM said such urban forests would also be developed at 15 other places in the city to grow a total of 292,500 trees.
Giving details, he said 58,000 trees would be planted over an area of 50 kanals in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park, while another 58,000 trees will be grown over 50 kanals in Township. 13,500 trees will also be planted at 12 kanals of land at Township nursery, he added.
Similarly, Miyawaki urban forests will also be developed at C-Block Sabzazar, Ganj Sarkar Sabzazar, Qazafi Park Gulshan-e-Ravi, Saggian Interchange, Rustam Park Gulshan-e-Ravi, Karim Park Golbagh near Data Darbar, side 1 and 2 of Mahmood Booti, Green Town, Mustafa Bhatti Park Township, Kashmir Park and Khalid Butt Park Township, he added.
The lack of forests was resulting in environmental degradation whereas extensive tree-plantation drive by the PTI government will help overcome smog and pollution, the CM added.
The 10 billion tree tsunami programme was a game-changer initiative to make Pakistan clean and green and the government will overcome smog and environmental degradation by planting more and more trees, concluded the chief minister.