NCIC Chief Executive Officer, Linda Phiri, made the call in Balaka on Thursday during a joint tree planting exercise with Balaka District Council where they planted 1, 500 seedlings.

“As the controller of the construction industry in the country, we have our policy that prescribes on how we must give back to the environment as you know we use a lot of products from the environment in the course of our work.

“Since the launch and gazette of the Environmental Management Strategy in 2015, we have seen a substantial reduction in the use of baked bricks during construction from 21 percent to about four percent,” she said.

According Phiri, almost all commercial and public contractors are using cement bricks except some who are yet to adopt this following commencement of issuing stop orders on all contractors using found using burnt bricks.

This tree planting season alone, Phiri says they intend to plant ten thousand tree seedlings across the country in collaboration with district councils and schools that will monitor its survival.

Balaka District Council Chairperson, Councilor Michael Chauluka, commended NCIC for the good initiative and assured to work hand in hand with the communities to attain meaningful survival rate.

"Our role is to ensure that these trees planted today in traditional authority Amidu survive," said Chauluka.

Traditional Authority Amidu says the area has suffered different natural disasters due to wanton cutting down of trees.

“This area is prone to dry spells and flush floods due to deforestation and we are grateful that NCIC considered to assist my area with these tree seedlings," he said.