Forest and Environment Dept: ‘Creation of 1,054 new vacancies approved’

PESHAWAR: Creation of 1,054 new vacancies has been approved for the Forest and Environment Department to enhance its overall capacity and ensure the protection of forests in the province, a meeting was told on Saturday.

The meeting of the Forest Department was with Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan in the chair, said a handout. The meeting reviewed the overall performance of the department with special focus on the measures to increase forest acres and their protection in the province. It was informed that out of the 1,054 vacancies, 687 were for settled districts and 367 for newly merged districts (NMDs).

Similarly, it was informed that raising of a special forest squad has also been approved to further strengthen the forest checkposts across the province.

“And work is in progress to equip these forest checkposts with CCTV cameras and other technological gadgets to enable them to effectively curb the illegal transportation of timber.

It was informed that a comprehensive plan had been prepared for better and efficient management of pine nut forests in Chitral and other parts of the province as well as for its value addition and marketing.

It was further informed that apart from the 10 Billion Tree Tsunami Project, work was underway to prepare an Integrated Natural Resource Management Plan for other ecological zones of the province, adding that a preliminary draft of ecotourism policy has been prepared while ecotourism activities have also been included in the forest management plans.

Briefing about other measures taken under the department, it was informed that a recreational park is being set up in Kohat district under the third phase of the 10 billion Tree Tsunami Project.

Speaking on this occasion, the chief minister termed the protection of forests as of vital importance to effectively address the challenges emanating from climate change and said that it was a national cause and collective responsibility of all adding that all segment of society should come forward and put their hands together with the government in its efforts to protects forests. The chief minister directed the authorities concerned to ensure maximum involvement of local communities for the protection of forests as major stakeholders.