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BRTS, road projects destroyed PHA work: DG
UNLESS there is a long-term master plan for development of the City, there cannot be a master plan for horticulture and thus the cutting and replanting of trees and plants will continue.
The construction of the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), Canal Road and other road projects has destroyed as much as half of the work done by the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) over the past years. The PHA is short of at least 1,500 gardeners to perform its duties more efficiently as its area of operation has consistently expanded over the years. The authority should have representation in the District Development Committee to acknowledge horticulture as an essential component. It is under the provincial government and thus has to obey all the orders given by the government; therefore, it cannot side with the people as opposed to the government in its actions. The authority does not have its own nurseries which forces it to buy plants from the market.
These views were shared by PHA DG Muhammad Mahmood at the Jang Forum on Monday. The forum was hosted by eminent journalist Iftikhar Ahmed.
Mr Mahmood, who has been holding this position for the past five months, said that the PHA jurisdiction over the years had expanded by default rather than by design which was very demanding. The authority has around 5,000 gardeners hired on regular, contractual and daily-wage bases; however, due to the expanding City and the scope of PHA’s work, it needs at least 1,500 gardeners more, he said.
He said the PHA had divided the City into five zones out of which Zone II (Walled City) and Zone V (Gulberg, Model Town Johar Town, Wapda Town) were the largest and most densely populated.
He explained how the recent development plans of the City such as the BRTS, Canal Road, Multan Road and others had destroyed over 50 percent of the work done by the PHA. Around 50,000 trees were had been destroyed during the activity but the PHA had replanted 30,000 under its rehabilitation plan.
Talking about the 2012 PHA Act, Mahmood said that it had given more powers to the PHA and provided the facility of police assistance to enforce the regulations which would help improve its performance. He said that according to the new Act, the maintenance of greenbelts in front of domestic and commercial buildings would be the responsibility of the resident and if they failed to do so, the PHA would do it for them and would charge the equivalent amount as fine.
Damaging or encroaching on horticulture, under the law was now a punishable offense that would result in six months imprisonment or Rs 0.5 million fine, the PHA DG said. Work was going on the Circular Road and 1,200 trees had been planted while another 300 more would be planted soon from Yakki Gate to Ravi Road, he said.
He shared that the PHA was simultaneously working on parks inside the Walled City and the project of around Rs 160 to 180 million which was in its second phase. In this regard, he said, the PHA was identifying green areas such as parks inside the Walled City and was working to beautify them through horticulture.
Mahmood said the construction of the Multan Road and the following laying of sewerage had damaged almost 75 percent of the horticulture development done by the PHA along that road. He, however, expressed resolve to reestablish greenery in that area.
Sharing his vision regarding the Ferozepur Road, he said that the PHA had a plan to plant shade-lover plants under the elevated sections of the BRTS, adding that plants worth Rs 120 million would be planted along the road.
In this regard, Rs30 million had been given to the PHA while the remaining would be provided later from contingency fund. He said that he had gone the extra mile by personally visiting and buying plants from the wholesale points to reduce cost as the PHA did not have substantial nurseries of its own.
Mahmood said that 12,000 fruit trees had been planted along the Canal Road while 7,000 more would be planted soon. Cassia Fistula (Amaltas) trees would be planted in most of the areas in combination with other flower trees on the section starting from Kalma Chowk. He said there was no place to exploit except the central median from Shahdara to Muslim Town Flyover; therefore, there was less scope but that too was being exploited.
The PHA DG said that the section from Muslim Town to Qainchi; however, had greenbelts on the sides but those too needed to be cleared off the debris to be used for plants. He said that unless TEPA helped the PHA by clearing the debris and laying curbstone from Lahore Bridge until Qainchi they could not do any plantation on the sides. He said the authority would plant 12.5 million plants coming fall as compared to 7.5 million planted last spring. Sharing the plan regarding the canal bed, he said that he had a plan to plant weeping-willow trees all along the canal bed which was some 34 km long. He mentioned that the PHA was an independent authority but it came under the provincial government; therefore, it could disobey the government and follow the wishes or opinion of a section of population.
Talking about the area beyond Khaira distributary, Mahmood said that a proposal had been forwarded to the government by PHA to formally assign the area to authority which would cost Rs250 million for establishment and maintenance of horticulture.
BRTS, road projects destroyed PHA work: DG - thenews.com.pk
and now this journalist is rewarded to be Director PHA. serve Noora and be rewarded !!
all hail !!
@Jazzbot @Spring Onion @A.Rafay @Aeronaut
yeh do takay ka insan lecture deta hai.... bikao mall !! boycott Geo and all these noora cell members !
p.s. eminent journalist 
UNLESS there is a long-term master plan for development of the City, there cannot be a master plan for horticulture and thus the cutting and replanting of trees and plants will continue.
The construction of the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), Canal Road and other road projects has destroyed as much as half of the work done by the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) over the past years. The PHA is short of at least 1,500 gardeners to perform its duties more efficiently as its area of operation has consistently expanded over the years. The authority should have representation in the District Development Committee to acknowledge horticulture as an essential component. It is under the provincial government and thus has to obey all the orders given by the government; therefore, it cannot side with the people as opposed to the government in its actions. The authority does not have its own nurseries which forces it to buy plants from the market.
These views were shared by PHA DG Muhammad Mahmood at the Jang Forum on Monday. The forum was hosted by eminent journalist Iftikhar Ahmed.
Mr Mahmood, who has been holding this position for the past five months, said that the PHA jurisdiction over the years had expanded by default rather than by design which was very demanding. The authority has around 5,000 gardeners hired on regular, contractual and daily-wage bases; however, due to the expanding City and the scope of PHA’s work, it needs at least 1,500 gardeners more, he said.
He said the PHA had divided the City into five zones out of which Zone II (Walled City) and Zone V (Gulberg, Model Town Johar Town, Wapda Town) were the largest and most densely populated.
He explained how the recent development plans of the City such as the BRTS, Canal Road, Multan Road and others had destroyed over 50 percent of the work done by the PHA. Around 50,000 trees were had been destroyed during the activity but the PHA had replanted 30,000 under its rehabilitation plan.
Talking about the 2012 PHA Act, Mahmood said that it had given more powers to the PHA and provided the facility of police assistance to enforce the regulations which would help improve its performance. He said that according to the new Act, the maintenance of greenbelts in front of domestic and commercial buildings would be the responsibility of the resident and if they failed to do so, the PHA would do it for them and would charge the equivalent amount as fine.
Damaging or encroaching on horticulture, under the law was now a punishable offense that would result in six months imprisonment or Rs 0.5 million fine, the PHA DG said. Work was going on the Circular Road and 1,200 trees had been planted while another 300 more would be planted soon from Yakki Gate to Ravi Road, he said.
He shared that the PHA was simultaneously working on parks inside the Walled City and the project of around Rs 160 to 180 million which was in its second phase. In this regard, he said, the PHA was identifying green areas such as parks inside the Walled City and was working to beautify them through horticulture.
Mahmood said the construction of the Multan Road and the following laying of sewerage had damaged almost 75 percent of the horticulture development done by the PHA along that road. He, however, expressed resolve to reestablish greenery in that area.
Sharing his vision regarding the Ferozepur Road, he said that the PHA had a plan to plant shade-lover plants under the elevated sections of the BRTS, adding that plants worth Rs 120 million would be planted along the road.
In this regard, Rs30 million had been given to the PHA while the remaining would be provided later from contingency fund. He said that he had gone the extra mile by personally visiting and buying plants from the wholesale points to reduce cost as the PHA did not have substantial nurseries of its own.
Mahmood said that 12,000 fruit trees had been planted along the Canal Road while 7,000 more would be planted soon. Cassia Fistula (Amaltas) trees would be planted in most of the areas in combination with other flower trees on the section starting from Kalma Chowk. He said there was no place to exploit except the central median from Shahdara to Muslim Town Flyover; therefore, there was less scope but that too was being exploited.
The PHA DG said that the section from Muslim Town to Qainchi; however, had greenbelts on the sides but those too needed to be cleared off the debris to be used for plants. He said that unless TEPA helped the PHA by clearing the debris and laying curbstone from Lahore Bridge until Qainchi they could not do any plantation on the sides. He said the authority would plant 12.5 million plants coming fall as compared to 7.5 million planted last spring. Sharing the plan regarding the canal bed, he said that he had a plan to plant weeping-willow trees all along the canal bed which was some 34 km long. He mentioned that the PHA was an independent authority but it came under the provincial government; therefore, it could disobey the government and follow the wishes or opinion of a section of population.
Talking about the area beyond Khaira distributary, Mahmood said that a proposal had been forwarded to the government by PHA to formally assign the area to authority which would cost Rs250 million for establishment and maintenance of horticulture.
BRTS, road projects destroyed PHA work: DG - thenews.com.pk
and now this journalist is rewarded to be Director PHA. serve Noora and be rewarded !!
all hail !!
@Jazzbot @Spring Onion @A.Rafay @Aeronaut
yeh do takay ka insan lecture deta hai.... bikao mall !! boycott Geo and all these noora cell members !
p.s. eminent journalist
