SWABI: The Pakistan Tobacco Company (PTC) and district forest department have planned to plant 6 million saplings in a joint tree plantation campaign which would commence in Swabi district on Friday.

Officials in the forest department told Dawn on Wednesday that keeping in mind the climate change there was an intense need to plant more trees.

They said that PTC would distribute 4 million saplings among farmers in the tobacco growing areas and the district forest department had planned to plant 2 million saplings.

An official said that the company had grown these saplings in various nurseries in the country.

The forest department would lead the tree plantation drive, but the officials and staff of all public sector departments would also be involved in the campaign. It has also started a campaign to educate people on the importance of growing more trees for the environment and preventing soil erosion.

The sources said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa forest department had made it clear that about 123 million saplings would be planted across the province in the upcoming campaign.

Meanwhile, it has been learnt that the Tarbela Dam and Ghazi Barotha Hydropower Project authorities would also launch a tree plantation campaign in the areas of two dams.

The saplings would be planted in residential colonies and dam area by involving employees and students of the Wapda schools.

SECURITY DISCUSSED: The district police and army officials in their meeting discussed security situation and visited the University of Swabi and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Women University, Swabi, here on Wednesday.

A briefing was given to them about security situation of the two universities.

They also checked the entire campuses and barbed wire installed around them, and expressed reservations about some areas. They asked the officials concerned to plug the loopholes.

“We told them to take more steps for enhancing security and letters have been sent to them,” said DSP Izhar Shah who accompanied the army personnel during visits of the two campuses.

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2016