What are these green bicycles doing on Lahore streets?
Spring plantation drive starts
For the last few days, green bicycle carts were seen on multiple roads in Lahore. But where have they come from and what are they doing?
The bicycles have been set up by the Parks and Horticulture Authority, Lahore, and they will be distributing over 50,000 free saplings to residents.
The Punjab government has kicked off its spring plantation drive. The project was inaugurated by the authority's director-general, Jawad Ahmad Qureshi, on Tuesday.
"We aim to plant 230,000 trees in this campaign," he said. "The goal is to not just turn Lahore into a clean and green city but to control air pollution in the city as well."
We are encouraging people to plant trees in schools, colleges, universities, health community centres, mosques, and other public places, he added.
Last month, the Punjab government started selling saplings to residents for Rs2 as a part of its plantation drive. Sale points have been set up in multiple parts of the province.
This time the government has adopted Japan’s Miyawaki technique through which forests will grow faster.
Over 50 points have been selected across Punjab and 20 in Islamabad where these forests will grow.
Experts have identified deforestation as one of the major reasons behind pollution and smog in Punjab. According to studies over 70% of trees in Lahore have been cut.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has urged the youth to actively take part in the government’s plantation drive. Special courses on the importance of trees and climate change will soon be introduced in the educational countries across the country as well, he added.
