Rehabilitation Work On Sheikhbuddin National Park Underway: DFO

DI KHAN,(UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Nov, 2016 ) : Divisional Forest Officer Ijaz Ahmad Monday said rehabilitation work on Sheikhbuddin national park was underway, which would be a good addition to creational spots in the district.

He said recently rehabilitation project had been initiated and under the project different activities would be conducted from time to time in the historic tourist spot. He said that village conservative committees had been formed and endowment fund as part of PC-1 had almost been constituted, adding Rs 2 million seed-money had been deposited by Kyber Pakhtunkhwa government.

Moreover, he added, solid measures were being made to protect wildlife and natural resources in the district. The officer said that the district was losing its unique characteristic of being a habitat to wildlife species due to frequent poaching, but now practical steps were being taken to protect them from human greed.

He said district Wildlife department had conducted various raids against illegal hunting and issued over 200 challans for illegal poaching or hunting animals without licenses as he added, the division was rich in both flora and fauna and was home to a variety of wildlife including migratory birds.

He said that Dera Ismail Khan Wildlife department had collected hefty revenues as a result of effective measures to protect the wildlife and prevent environmental degradation. Answering to a question, DFO said that department had issued more than 700 licenses in various categories to the hunters.

He said that under KP billion tree Tsunami project, the Dera Ismail Khan division was successfully performing its responsibilities and planted the required number of saplings. He said forest closures had also been established at various places of the division and watchman had also been appointed to look after those saplings, adding these initiatives would go a long way in ensuring clean environment for people of the area.

He also urged the residents of the district to plant trees or saplings in their homes and considers them as their asset, adding trees combat climate change, ensure clean the air, provide oxygen, conserve energy. He said it was not responsibility only of the government, but joint efforts were needed to control pollution and prevent possible harm to environment in the area. APP/slm/rn