Tree Plantation Drive at COMSATS University Isb

While addressing students and participants of the plantation drive, Prof. Dr. Raheel Qamar, Rector COMSATS University Islamabad informed that a huge calamity has stricken the Amazon forest in South America, which acts as the lungs for the global atmosphere, contributing over 20 percent oxygen and sequestering a significant amount of carbon.

Tree Plantation Drive at  COMSATS University IsbHe said that efforts need to be undertaken in order to help relevant governments in stopping the rain forest fires afflicting the Amazon as this is a problem of the Global commons.

He made these remarks while inaugurating the plantation drive of COMSATS University Islamabad led by students and faculty members near the Koral Chowk construction site on Islamabad Expressway in cooperation with the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI). Over 200 students, faculty members and residents participated in the drive.

Prof. Dr. Raheel Qamar said that COMSATS University Islamabad has always been at the forefront in advocacy for increasing forest cover and reducing the environmental burden by reducing use of plastics.

Last year he said that a total of 32,000 trees were planted across 7 campuses of the COMSATS University and we hope to continue planting similar number of trees every year.

Moreover, COMSATS University introduced the concept of Adopt a Tree, which means that over the year the trees are cared for by the university at the plantation site.

He encouraged students and faculty members to join hands to plant more fruit trees according to the theme of this year’s campaign. Trees were at the base of a thriving ecosystem, while their reduction causes devastating impact on forest life, climate change and ultimately human well-being.

Mayor Islamabad, Sheikh Ansar Aziz said that he was encouraged by students participating in the plantation activity, which was previously thought to be a job for the government.

We need to undertake consistent efforts in order to make Islamabad green and beautiful again, he added.

Aziz said that Islamabad has boasted of a 75 percent overall survival rate with its plantation campaigns. Students sang national songs as they cheered the participants of the drive during the tree plantation drive.