Tree plantation to fight climate change stressed

block
City Desk :
Tree plantation should be turned into a social movement for building a safer planet through improving environment, ecology and biodiversity amid frightening climate change threat. The opinion came yesterday at the launching ceremony of the 10-day National Tree Plantation campaign and ‘Wood and Fruit Tree Fair-2016’ at Government Auditorium premises in Panchagarh.
The district administration, Social Forestry Division, Department of Forest (DoF) and Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) have been jointly organising the campaign and fair for creating mass public awareness on tree plantation.
Earlier, a huge rally, participated by officials and employees of the administrations, DAE, DoF, agriculture-related organisations, NGOs, nursery owners, students, farmers and elite, was brought out on the streets of the sub-Himalayan district town.
Deputy Commissioner of Panchagarh Amal Krishna Mandal attended the ceremony and formally inaugurated the event as the chief guest with Deputy Director of Panchagarh DAE Nazrul Islam in the chair.
Panchagarh Police Super Giasuddin Ahmad, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Mahmudul Alam, Pourashava Mayor Tauhidul Islam and Divisional Forest Officer Abdul Awal Sarker addressed the ceremony as the special guests.
President of Panchagarh district Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) Abdul Mazid Babul, Vice-president of district Awami League ATM Sarwar Hossain, District Muktijoddha Commander Mirja Abul Kalam Dulal, also spoke. Different government and non- governmental organisations, private sector nursery owners and entrepreneurs have set up 25 stalls in the fair displaying saplings of many varieties of fruit, timber and medicinal plants.
The speakers said a fury of nature been causing catastrophes like super cyclones, tsunamis, sidr, earth quakes, bush fires, droughts and devastating floods due to climate change threatening the habitation, environment, ecology, agriculture and every sector.
Abdul Awal Sarker said tree plantation could protect the environment, ecology and biodiversity retarding the desertification process to save innumerable living species including animals, birds, insects, aqua animals including fishes from extinction.
Narrating beneficial aspects of forests and important roles of trees in human life, Nazrul Islam cited examples of the Sundarbans that saved millions of lives when the super cyclone sidr hit the coastal belts of the country in 2007.
The chief guest called for turning tree plantation into a social movement and asked everyone to plant at least three saplings around homesteads or on any open space to maintain natural balance and get economic benefits.

block