ISLAMABAD: Interior Ministry Mohsin Naqvi launched Pakistan’s largest nursery in Islamabad, spread over 50 acres of land and set to house over one million plants on Tuesday, state-run media reported, saying the move aimed to combat smog and promote greenery.
The prevalence of smog is a recurring problem in Pakistan’s major cities during winter season every year. Smog is caused by pollution triggered by a mix of vehicle emissions, industrial pollution, crop burning and weather conditions. It reduces visibility and leads to respiratory illnesses among people.
The World Health Organization ranks Pakistan among the worst air quality levels globally. Pakistan hopes the plants and trees at the nursery will help curb pollution by absorbing particulate matter from the environment.
Naqvi visited the Capital Development Authority (CDA) Model Nursery to inspect the development progress, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported on Tuesday.
“An international-standard, state-of-the-art model nursery is being developed in Islamabad,” APP quoted the interior minister as saying. “It will not only meet the horticultural needs of the city’s residents but also play a vital role in enhancing Islamabad’s environment.”
During the visit, Naqvi lauded the efforts of Azerbaijan’s horticulture experts who are assisting with the project, the state-run media said.
The nursery will also comprise a flower shop, training institute and a rainwater harvesting pond to collect and store rainwater runoff that can be used for irrigation purposes, APP reported.
Officials briefed Naqvi on the installation of “modern and controlled ventilation greenhouses” designed to create an ideal environment for plant growth. The minister was also told that 25,000 free plants have been distributed during the ongoing monsoon season so far.
Pakistan is one of the worst-affected nations due to climate change, despite contributing only 1 percent to global greenhouse gas emissions. Deadly monsoon floods have killed nearly 800 people in the country since late June, as per official figures.
