PHA criticised for prioritising tax collection over tree plantation

FAISALABAD: Dr Sajjad Arshad, Senior Vice President of the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FCCI), highlighted the urgent need for extensive tree planting to combat rising temperatures and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on city residents.

According to APP, speaking to a delegation of traders, Dr Arshad criticised the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) for prioritising tax collection over increasing tree cover and maintaining green spaces.

He highlighted the business community’s readiness to collaborate with the PHA to ensure that newly planted saplings mature into fully grown trees. Dr Arshad suggested utilizing available space along canals and watercourses for planting trees, emphasizing their high survival rates in such areas.

Proposing legislative measures, he recommended that the Punjab government mandate the planting of at least one tree per marla of land in all public and private residential areas. Developers and housing colony management would be tasked with implementing this law, which aims to bolster the district’s overall tree cover.

Expressing concern over unchecked agricultural expansion near Faisalabad, Dr Arshad attributed rising temperatures partly to the diminishing tree cover in the region. He advocated for trees to mitigate the heat retained by the city’s concrete infrastructure, referring to it as a “concrete jungle.”

Dr Arshad called for a comprehensive study by the PHA and academia to assess Faisalabad’s tree deficit and develop an expedited plan to address it.

He proposed involving various government departments, the private sector, and civil society in planting and maintaining new trees during the upcoming monsoon season.

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