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Govt to lease out 150,000 acres for tree
plantation
KARACHI, April 21: The
Sindh government has decided to lease out 150,000
acres of land, out of 800,000 acres available with
the government in the province, for a period of
five years that would be renewable for another
five years.
The decision has been taken to encourage
tree-plantation by involving the private sector.
The land in irrigated areas would be leased out at
a rate of Rs2,000 per acre and in non-irrigated
areas for Rs1,000 per acre.
The decision was taken at a meeting here on
Tuesday at the chief minister's house with the
officials of provincial forest department. Chief
Minister Sardar Ali Mohammad Mahar, who presided
over the meeting, was given a detailed briefing on
the performance of the department.
The chief minister noted with concern that there
was a declining trend among people about
tree-plantation, while on the other hand, trees in
forests were being cut on different excuses.
"The department should prepare a plan for planting
trees and carrying out forestation on at least 100
acres in each district," Mr Mahar directed. The
chief minister said the people getting land on
lease would be allowed to carry out cultivation on
75 per cent of the leased area, while they would
be bound to plant trees on 25 per cent of it.
He directed the forest department to submit a
detailed report on the land available and the
criteria for leasing out the land. He further
directed that trees be planted along roadsides and
canal banks throughout the province.
The chief minister said that the Swiss government
would provide a one million dollar assistance for
tree-plantation at the proposed Gorakh
hill-station in Dadu district.
The DAWN
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Pakissan.com; Advisory Point
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