CHITRAL is the only source of water to down country due to its strategic location and being a reservoir of glaciers in the Hindukush region. If there is a problem in Chitral involving environment, it will seriously affect the whole Indus belt which ultimately impacts Pakistan. For the last many years, deforestation and ruthless cutting of green deodar trees are taking place in the limited forest areas of Chitral in spite of public cry against the crime. The timber mafia is so strong in Chitral that ordinary community members are completely helpless before it which has strong nexus with the government’s department concerned. The forest department’s primary role is the protection of forests, but in Chitral instead of protecting, it is promoting timber mafia at public expense. The forest department is annihilating natural forests through the timber mafia in the garb of marking and artificial harvesting, while millions of rupees are siphoned off on account of fake plantation which has no existence anywhere in Chitral. When the PTI came to power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, people had high hopes it would take steps against the timber mafia. But all hopes have dashed as after six months of PTI government, there is no action. Deodar forests of Kalas and Goringole have been destroyed by the timber mafia. The prime minister should take measures to control deforestation by placing a ban on any type of artificial harvesting. Rehmat Ali Jaffardos Chitral
Posted on: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 15:21:46 +0000
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