HYDERABAD:The environmental experts whole terming deforestation a major cause of rampant climate change, have emphasized the need to plant maximum saplings in the country in order to combat climate change and reduce the intensity of sweltering heat in the near future.
They said”Pakistan is currently facing a major challenge of climate change due to deforestation and the only way to get good riddance from the hot weather is to plant saplings as many as possible adding that cutting of trees across the country especially in Sindh was posing a big threat to global warming.”
They expressed these remarks while addressing the awareness walk organized by the Green Youth Movement Club and the Directorate of Student Affairs on the occasion of World Environment Day on Monday.
The Awareness walk which converted a big rally was started from Allama I.I. Kazi Central Library and culminated at the Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science (IMCS). The Dean Faculty of Natural Sciences Prof. Dr. Wazir Ali Baloch, Dean Faculty of Pharmacy Prof. Dr. Khalida Faryal Almani, Dean Faculty of Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Hamadullah Kakepoto and Director Student Affairs Dr. Muhammad Younis Leghari jointly led the walk.
Addressing the participants, the Director Student Affairs and Environmentalist Dr Muhammad Younis Leghari said that Pakistan was currently facing a major challenge of climate change and the only way to get rid of it was to plant as much trees as possible.
He said”Deforestation was taking place all over the country including Sindh as the trees are being cut down by the powerful mafias due to which the heat was increasing every year.”
He feared that if deforestation was not stopped, it would be difficult to live on the land in the near future and no one would be able to withstand the effects of sweltering heat due to increasing global heating. As a result of deforestation and non-planting of trees, rains are not falling, resulting in warmer weather, they added.
Theh Dean Faculty of Natural Sciences Dr. Wazir Ali Baloch said that the heat wave in Sindh in the month of May was intolerable and it was all because of deforestation and cutting down of trees. “We need to pay more attention to tree planting, which should be started from our homes,” he said.
He said that after planting the saplings in houses, one should plant in one’s own street and then in the whole area in order to combat climate change adding, the issue of the environment was not only a problem in Pakistan but also in the entire world.
“Climate change is a global issue; therefore, the United Nations (UN) should play an effective role in this regard,” he urged.
The Dean Faculty of Social Science Prof Dr. Hamadullah Kakepoto said that it was a good omen that the Green Youth Movement Club of Sindh University and the Directorate of Student Affairs had organized an awareness walk in context with the World Environment Day, which would have a positive impact on the society.
He said that the youth, women, children and the elderly needed to be made aware of the health effects as a result of the environment and that they were required to be informed that the survival of future generations depended on tree planting.
Under the vision of the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Muhammad Siddique Kalhoro, he informed that a tree plantation campaign would be launched soon to keep the Sindh University campus clean and green.