LAKKI MARWAT/MANSEHRA/BAJAUR: More than 400 fruit saplings were planted on the premises of University of Science and Technology in Bannu on Thursday.

Bannu Commissioner Mohammad Ali Shah and Commander 116 Brigade Brig Naveed Ahmad along with Deputy Commissioner Abdul Hameed Khan inaugurated provincial government`s billion trees plus plantation campaign.

Students pledged on the occasion that they would participate in the plantation drive to make it a success. They also vowed to play an effective role to mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Brig Naveed said that increasing the area of forests was inevitable to protect environment and overcome climate change issues.

Vice-chancellor Prof Safdar Rehman Ghazisaid that plantation activities in educational institutions were helpful to raise awareness among students about the importance of protecting the environment.

In Mansehra, the administration of Upper Kohistan on Thursday launched the tree plantation drive during which thousands of saplings will be planted across the district.

`The recent flash floods have eroded the mountainous areas of the district. To mitigate its impact, we are initiating a large-scale tree plantation campaign,` Deputy Commissioner Tariq Ali Khan said at the launching ceremony in Dasu.

He inaugurated the drive by planting a sapling in the garden of his secretariat. `This ongoing campaign will extend across the district and thousands of saplings will be planted. Our goal is to create a hazard-free environment for both the present and future generations by growing moreand more trees,` he said. He also distributed saplings free of cost among people.

In Bajaur, spring plantation campaign was launched on Thursday with the aim to plant about 231,000 saplings across the district.

The drive was inaugurated by Deputy Commissioner Shahid Ali Khan, who planted a sapling on the lawn of DC compound in Civil Colony Khar.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by district forest officer, the additional deputy commissioner, Ali Raza, the assistant commissioner, Dr Sadiq Ali, and heads of various departments.

The participants of the ceremony were told that a total 231,000 saplings of different kinds would be planted in the district during the campaign. Most of the saplings will be planted by forest department in mountainous areas while some would be distributed among selective farmers.