Bid to steal wood from national park foiled

Islamabad : The patrolling team of Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) has nabbed a group of woodcutters that was involved in illegal cutting of trees in the Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP).

According to the details, the patrolling team got a tip-off from its source about the presence of a group of woodcutters in the forest area where it was trying to shift tree trunks on a Suzuki van.

When the patrolling team arrived on the scene it confiscated the tree trunks and informed the officials of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) about the incident.

The CDA officials immediately reached there and imposed heavy fines on the group members.

It was later revealed that this group has been selling the wood, illegally acquired from the forest area, on a commercial basis.

An official said though it was a matter of grave concern that some people were involved in illegal cutting of trees but on the other hand it was encouraging to see that their staff members were alive to the challenges and doing their work in the best possible manner. It is pertinent to mention here that IWMB, CDA and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration have joined hands to protect and preserve the forest cover of the national park.