KARACHI: Pakistan’s mangrove ecosystems have been degraded over the last 50 years. Karachi Port Trust (KPT) adds another leaf to the clean and green initiative of Prime Minister Imran Khan by starting mangroves plantation campaign 2020-21.
According to the initiative, the authority would plant 100,000 mangroves every quarter through plantation campaigns and activities like public awareness drive in educational institutions, conferences and symposia arrangements.
Talking to M.M News, KPT spokesperson Shariq Amin termed mangroves plantation an essential initiative for the ports and port cities to avoid national calamities like Tsunamis and Heat Waves.
While sharing the details of the programme, he further informed that mangrove plantation will take place quarter-wise throughout the campaign year and side by side activities like public awareness campaign outreaching school children
“In the second quarter, conferences and symposia arrangements in third quarter and marine eco-tourism entertainment for local hotels in fourth quarters have been scheduled under this campaign,” he added.
He said that 1000 hectares mangroves forests were falling in the domain of the Karachi port. Highlighting the importance of mangroves, he said, “The mangrove trees are remarkable ecological cum-economical assets for any nation,” he added.
“These trees have complex breathing roots above the surface of the organically rich and oxygen-depleted mud in which they live. Mangrove Forest also provides food and shelter for commercially important fish and prawns in their initial stages,” he added.
On the occasion, General Manager Engineering, Shafi Muhammad urged the local community to avoid throwing garbage in Karachi Harbour waters as garbage mostly contains plastic, which is toxic to the marine environment.
