Cholistan To Have 70,000 New Kikar Trees

The Livestock Department, Government of Punjab is going to plant 70,000 new kikar (acacia) plants and trees on 600 acres of land in Cholistan desert of Bahawalpur to cater need of 0.7 million livestock of the desert area

BAHAWALPUR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 07th Feb, 2018 ) :The Livestock Department, Government of Punjab is going to plant 70,000 new kikar (acacia) plants and trees on 600 acres of land in Cholistan desert of Bahawalpur to cater need of 0.7 million livestock of the desert area.

There is also plan to plant medicinal herbs imported from China, Europe, USA and Africa in Cholistan. � Director Livestock Cholistan, Ali Raza Abbasi said that Cholistan desert spread over land area of three districts of Bahawalpur division including Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Rahimyar Khan had 1.4 million livestock including camels, cows, sheep, goats and buffaloes.

Various species of wildlife animals including black deer, cheetal deer, neel cow, rabbit and others have also been residing in Cholistan desert. He said that present self-grow grass and bushes catered need of 0.7 million livestock in Cholistan desert.

"The Livestock Department has planned to plant 70,000 species of US and local kikar on 600 acres of land in different portions of the desert to cater need of remaining 0.7 million livestock out of total 1.4 million total livestock," he said.

He said that on experience basis, the Livestock Department Cholistan planted 4500 kikar trees of US and local species in areas of Cholistan including Noorsar Balochaan, Moj Garh, Jano Farm, Jam Garh, Matawan and others, adding that the process gave fruitful results.

"Now, we have been launching campaign to plant 70,000 plants and trees on 600 acres of land in Cholistan desert," he said. He added that some species of kikar (acacia) had been imported from abroad.

He said that kikar plant also grew in the areas which received lesser rains. Meanwhile, some other officials sources told APP that the government was going to allocate 27,000 acres of land in Cholistan for a mega project, under which different medicinal species of herbs and plants imported from China, Europe, USA, Africa and other countries would be planted which later would be exported to rest of the world for their use in medicines manufacturing.

They said that wildlife species of China and other countries would also be brought and breed on the acquired 27,000 acres of land of Cholistan desert. A local Hakeem told APP scribe that kikar which was already available in Cholistan desert and other areas of Bahawalpur not only catered need of livestock but its seeds which called as kikar phallian in local language were used in several medicines and cured diseases.