The Khyber Pakthunkhwa Minister for Environment and Forests, Wajid Ali Khan said on Sunday that Forests Department would be made as force to curb illicit transportation of timber and take prompt action against timber mafia for sustainable conservation and protection of natural resources in the province.
“A summary in this regard has been moved to the concerned authorities and after approval, Forest Department would be declared as Force,” he told APP. He said it would be a big achievement of this elected Government.
He said forests staff working in fields would be properly trained and equipped with modern weaponry. The Minister said this principal decision has been taken to ensure sustainable forests conservancy, natural resources and bio-diversity in the province.Forests Board is also being setup to include people in decisions-making process, policy framework and conservancy plans with an objective for sustainable conservation and protection of natural resources, he added.
The Board will be consultative body wherein officers of Forests Department and representatives of people would be included to get their inputs in formulation of future strategies and policies, he said, adding it has been proposed that Chief Minister Khyber Pakthunkhwa will its Chairman.
The Minister said the government is also working on a plan to setup forests foundation for welfare of employees of the Department. The foundation will initiate, supervise and monitor welfare programs regarding health, education, housing and others schemes for socio-economic uplift of the employees of Forests Department. He expressed the hope that Forests Board and Foundation would be shortly inaugurated.
The Minister said three mega forests projects were also being launched in Hazara, Malakand and Sothern Circles of Khyber Pakthunkhwa to bolster forestry, bio-diversity and natural resources, adding forests nurseries would be raised under this projects and would be distributed among national buildings departments, farmers and public for plantation purposes.
“The people, having at least 50 acres spare land, would be facilitated in afforestation under these projects,” Wajid Khan said, adding its supervision and mentioning would be made through Geographical Information and Remote Sensing techniques.
Three others mega projects pertaining to raising species of Chalgoza, Walnut and endangered Soum is also being launched in Kalam, Chitral, Kohistan, Malakand and Hazara besides sowing medicinal plants to provide an alternative source of income to people living near forests, he maintained.
He said 20 percent and 40% share received by the Government as revenue from forests of Kohistan and Malakand respectively has been shifted to Forests Development Fund (FDF), adding about Rs. 600 million fund that was received by the Government as revenue annually will now go to PDF that could be used in afforstration programs and other developmental projects in these regions.
