Financial constraints force people to find low-cost living in MHNP

Islamabad : The financial constraints are forcing scores of people to turn towards the environmentally protected Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) to find a low-cost living far away from expensive urban centres.

The rising cost of living in the capital city has resulted in occupation of over 4,000 hectares of protected land of MHNP by the villagers, most of them have come from other areas in last few decades and are now living illegally in violation of existing laws.

According to the official record, settlements class covered a total area of 1,921 hectares in 1992 that shot to 3,524 hectares in 2000. But now the situation is turning from bad to worse as over 4,000 hectares of land has been occupied by the villagers.

The unofficial statistics reveal that the population in 37 villages in MHNP has crossed the figure of 300,000 and almost all of them meet their heating and cooking requirements by burning firewood.

Abid Khursheed, a government servant who lives in Saidpur village, said “I cannot afford rent in the residential sectors of Islamabad due to which I have decided to live here. The house rent is comparatively too low and I am able to manage my life within my limited financial resources.”

Many residents of the villages falling in the jurisdiction of MHNP use private jeeps and van service to come to their workplaces in urban areas and then return back to their homes.

Umair Ahmad, a resident of scenic Gokina village, said “The people living in our village carry legal documents of their land. All houses have been built by their legal owners. We use only dry wood for fire purposes and it can no way damage the tree cover in the Margalla hills.”

Though the people claim to have ‘legal’ documents of their land but one thing is quite clear in the existing laws that no one can buy or sell land that fall in the vicinity of the legally protected MHNP.