HYDERABAD, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 28th Aug, 2026) Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) Tandojam is planning to make environmental responsibility a lasting part of student life by linking the issuance of degrees for future students with the plantation and care of at least one tree, Vice Chancellor Engr Prof Dr Altaf Ali Siyal announced on Friday.
The initiative is aimed at turning the university into a model “Green Campus” while instilling a culture of environmental stewardship among students at a time when climate change, rising temperatures, water scarcity and environmental degradation are posing growing challenges to Sindh.
According to the SAU spokesperson, the announcement was made during a tree plantation and conservation campaign organized at the university under the theme “Green Pakistan, Green Campus”, as the 30th activity of the university’s Independence Day celebrations on Friday.
Unlike conventional plantation drives that focus mainly on planting new saplings, the campaign also emphasized protecting and nurturing trees already planted on the campus. Students of the Information Technology Center, working alongside university workers, cleared unwanted weeds and bushes around existing plants in front of the centre to facilitate their healthy growth.
Addressing a brief ceremony, Dr Altaf Siyal said SAU, being an agriculture-focused institution, had a special responsibility to demonstrate leadership in environmental conservation.
“Planting a tree is easy, but nurturing it into a mature tree is the real achievement,” he said, stressing that plantation must be followed by regular care and protection.
The vice chancellor said the university was considering making the plantation and proper care of at least one tree a requirement for future students, potentially linking it with the issuance of their degrees. He said the initiative would help develop a sense of ownership and environmental responsibility among students.
“We want our students to leave the university not only with academic degrees, but also with a commitment to society and the environment,” Dr Siyal said.
He said Sindh was particularly vulnerable to climate change, rising temperatures and water shortages, adding that universities could play a leading role in promoting sustainable environmental practices. He urged students, teachers and employees to take shared responsibility for protecting the university’s trees and green spaces.
As part of the campaign, Dr Siyal, along with deans, faculty members and administrative officers, planted saplings at the university’s residential colony and Bukhari Model High school.
Those participating included Dean Dr Inayatullah Rajpar, Dr Syed Ghiasuddin Shah Rashdi, Dr Abdul Mubeen Lodhi, Dr Muhammad Ismail Kumbhar, Dr Abdul Latif Bhutto and other faculty members and university officers.
