SU faculty termed deforestation biggest threat to climate change

Terming deforestation as a major cause of rampant climate change, the environmental experts on Monday have stressed the need to plant more and more trees in the country in order to combat climate change and reduce the intensity of sweltering heat in the near future.
They said that Pakistan was currently facing a major challenge of climate change due to deforestation and the only way to get good riddance from the hot weather was to plant as many saplings as possible adding that cutting of trees across the country especially in Sindh was posing a big threat to global warming.
This they said while addressing the awareness walk organized by the Green Youth Movement Club and the Directorate of Student Affairs University of Sindh (SU) on the occasion of World Environment Day. The Awareness rally started at Allama I.I. Kazi Central Library culminated at the Institute of Mathematics and Computer Science (IMCS) and converted into a procession. Dean Faculty of Natural Sciences Prof. Dr. Wazir Ali Baloch, Dean Faculty of Pharmacy Prof. Dr. Khalida Faryal Almani, Dean Faculty of Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Hamadullah Kakepoto, Director Student Affairs Dr. Muhammad Younis Leghari and others led the walk.
Addressing the occasion, the Director of Student Affairs and Environmentalist Dr Muhammad Younis Leghari said that Pakistan was currently facing a major challenge of climate change and the only way to get rid of it was to plant as many trees as possible.
He said that deforestation was taking place all over the country including Sindh as the trees were being cut down by the powerful mafias, due to which the heat was increasing every year.
He feared that if deforestation was not stopped, it would be difficult to live on the land in the near future and no one would be able to withstand the effects of sweltering heat due to increasing global warming.
He further said that due to deforestation and non-planting of trees, rain was not falling, resulting in warmer weather.
Dean Faculty of Natural Sciences Dr. Wazir Ali Baloch said that the heat wave in Sindh in the month of May was intolerable and it was all because of deforestation and cutting down of trees. “We need to pay more attention to tree planting, which should be started from our homes,” he said.
He said that after planting the saplings in houses, one should plant in one’s own street and then in the whole area in order to combat climate change adding that the issue of the environment was not only a problem in Pakistan but also in the entire world.
“Climate change is a global issue; therefore, the United Nations (UN) should play an effective role in this regard”, he urged.
Dean Faculty of Social Science Prof Dr. Hamadullah Kakepoto said that it was a good omen that the Green Youth Movement Club of Sindh University and the Directorate of Student Affairs had organized an awareness walk in context with the World Environment Day, which will have a positive impact on the society.
He said that the youth, women, children and the elderly needed to be made aware of the health effects as a result of the environment and that they were required to be informed that the survival of future generations depended on tree planting.
He said that under the vision of the Vice-Chancellor Prof. (Meritorious) Dr. Muhammad Siddique Kalhoro, a tree plantation campaign would be launched soon to keep the Sindh University campus clean and green.
Among others, Students’ Welfare Officer Allah Wadhayo Sahto, Deputy Director Girls Student Affairs Dr. Najma Nawaz Channa, Chairman Department of Freshwater Biology and Fisheries Prof. Dr. Khalid Hussain Lashari, Incharge Arts Faculty Building Dr. Sikandar Ali Soomro, Engineer Sajjad Hussain Shah, Dr. Ahmed Ali Brohi, Dr. Sujo Mal, Manzoor Ali Panhwar, Dr. Amanullah Mahar, Dr. Sheeraz Sheikh, Kashif Ali Narejo, Prof. Dr. Shahabuddin Mughal, Dr. Riaz Ahmed Rajpar, Abdul Ghaffar Bhatti, Abdul Hakim, Saqib Ali, Aziz Tunio, Ashfaq Ahmed, Fatima Ali, Nimrah Ali, Kashf Al-Dajai, Saima Sheikh, Vice President Green Youth Movement Club Kashif Jamali, Communication Leader Mehdi Soomro also participated in the walk.

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