Very few people think about the significance of roads, footpaths, and parks surrounded by lush green trees and shrubs. The importance of greenery can be seen from the cool weather conditions. Areas covered with trees remain oxygen-rich and the weather of the place is significantly cooler. That is the reason large grounds, golf clubs, and sports stadiums are surrounded by many trees. On the other hand, the impact of deforestation on humans and the environment can be devastating.
Trees are the friends of a human being but we have given them less in return. About three decades back, a conference on the environment took place in Brazil in Rio de Janeiro, a city of Brazil which ended in bitterness. The conference got divided into two groups; developed countries and under developing countries.
The USA for being one of the important members of developed countries did not agree to stop the industrial development of the products that are causing the emission of chloro-fluoromethane.
On the other hand, India, and Malaysia, the two important members of developing countries did not agree to stop cutting off their trees being an important source of their economy.
One must keep in mind that Malaysia, India and, Bangladesh, etc are the countries which are rich in the forests still they were in no mood to cut trees and instead they talked about increasing the forest area.
Generally, it is accepted that 25 percent of the area of any country should be covered by the forests. In Pakistan, since its inception, merely 5 percent of its area was covered with trees. Instead of increasing the greenery, it got receded with time and now it is just 2.5 percent. On one side the unlawful cutting of trees continues and on the other side, the government never had a concrete plan to increase the forest area.
Due to the impact of deforestation, the climate is altered significantly and different disease outbreaks also occur. Unfortunately, Pakistan became the center of different diseases like asthma, tuberculosis, cancer, high blood pressure throat diseases, and mental stress.
There are many factors involved in rapid deforestation. Pollution due to factory wastes, smoke, unclean water, and vehicles emitting harmful gases are making trees dry. Due to the abundance of population, trees are being cut to make new places to live and new corporate places are made.
Different roads, walking areas, and parks are surrounded by trees because trees reduce air pollution by inhaling carbon dioxide and exhaling oxygen which is necessary for breathing. They amuse the human being and relax the human nature.
Botanists say that the oxygen emitted by a single tree is sufficient for 4 persons, it means in Pakistan the number of trees should be 5.5 crores for the total population of which is 22 crore. Do we have this number of trees? Obviously not!
Some encouraging news about reforestation drives like Billion Tree Tsunami is a step in the right direction. The government should more strictly move ahead with the reforestation drive and also take strict action against the timber mafia who cut trees illegally.
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