Punjab Launches Monsoon Plantation Drive 2025 under CM Maryam Nawaz’s Green Vision
To combat smog, 60 AQI monitoring stations have been made functional and upgraded with modern technology.
LAHORE: (Asif Iqbal) – In line with Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s eco-friendly vision, Senior Provincial Minister Maryam Aurangzeb formally launched the Monsoon Plantation Drive 2025 under the “Plant for Pakistan Programme on Sunday.
The inauguration ceremony, held at the Kahna Kacha Interchange and organized by the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA), saw Maryam Aurangzeb plant a sapling to mark the commencement of the campaign. Children, provincial Housing Minister Bilal Yasin, and gardeners also participated in the event, with the minister personally joining them in planting trees and appreciating their contributions.
Addressing the media, Maryam Aurangzeb revealed that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has already planted over 25,000 trees around kilns and industrial zones. These include local and fruit-bearing species such as Amaltas, Mulberry, Jamun, and Pomegranate, among 17 varieties. Under the “Lungs of Lahore initiative, plantation over 65 acres has been completed.
She highlighted the introduction of GPS-based tree monitoring to ensure proper care and survival. For the first time, AI-powered fire forest sensors are being installed, and a dedicated Forest Force has been formed to protect wooded areas.
The Forest Department, she added, has become the country’s first to initiate digital payments for daily-wage workers. A massive crackdown is underway against the timber mafia, and a dedicated helpline, 1399, is now offering free home delivery of plants a special initiative from CM Maryam Nawaz for the people of Punjab.
During the launch, PHA alone planted over 3,000 saplings, while the Urban Forest along the Ring Road has already seen the plantation of 300,000 trees.
To combat smog, 60 AQI monitoring stations have been made functional and upgraded with modern technology. Brick kilns have been converted to Zig-Zag technology to reduce emissions. “Trees are carbon sinks,” said Aurangzeb. “There is no way to control smog without planting trees.
She appealed to every resident of Lahore to plant at least one tree, announcing that AI-monitored central zones are being established for long-term plant care. She praised the media’s role in promoting environmental awareness and confirmed that smog guns have been introduced in Punjab for dust suppression.
A new Green Carbon Credit Scheme has also been launched, offering a Rs 100,000 subsidy on e-motorbikes. All housing societies will be legally obligated to plant trees; non-compliance will result in heavy penalties enforced by the Forest Department and Forest Force. Furthermore, one percent of all housing project budgets will now be allocated to plantation efforts.
Maryam Aurangzeb also thanked PHA officials, DGs, journalists, and children for their enthusiastic participation. She announced that, under CM Maryam Nawaz’s directives, 19 WASA offices are being established across 10 districts, and the PHA network will be expanded province-wide to ensure a greener and more beautiful Punjab.
Special tributes were paid to PHA gardeners, who received personal commendation from CM Maryam Nawaz, and to children who were lauded for their active role in protecting the environment.
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