The government of Khyber Pakhtunwa has begun the Green Growth Initiative to fight climatic change, uplift the environment and to increase the health rate of the province.
The focus of this initiative is on the growth of billions of trees or “the billion tree tsunami,” their campaign slogan, the maintenance and uplift of national parks and the building of various small hydel projects. The plan for the government’s next phase will be to clean the rivers.
Malik Amin Aslam, advisor to the PTI chief on environment issues, claimed that the carbon growth in the province would reduce to almost zero as all electricity would be produced via hydro projects while huge areas would be covered by forests.
He added that the project would also support the local wild life. The plantation is supporting locals which are earning up to Rs.18,000 by working in nurseries.
He further emphasized that only 4 percent of Pakistan is currently covered with forests. For a sustainable future, it is necessary to have the cooperation of other provinces and to join hands with KPK.
Earlier in the 1990s, the timber mafia had a big hand in cutting down forests in huge numbers. After the ban on logging in KPK, all timber has been taken into custody of the provincial government, which accounts to about Rs.8 million. This will eventually be sold to invest back into forestry.
Actions are also being taken against the timber mafia and officials supporting them. Many forestry officials from the lower staff to top management of forest conservatives have been fired and cases have been registered on them for cutting down trees in KPK illegally.