Govt dept sells felled trees to meet expenditure

ISLAMABAD: At a time when climate change has put the country in jeopardy, Pakistan Broadcasting Cooperation (PBC) destroyed over 1,500 trees from its sites across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to overcome liabilities of about one billion rupees, without clearance from the climate ministry or EPA. Sadly the documents justifying their destruction show them as small, wild bushes, whereas they were actually fully grown trees of up to 20 feet in height and 10 inches in width.

The trees described as ‘mature, dried and unwanted’ by PBC were auctioned and sold for approximately 10 million rupees without consulting or getting NOC from the Ministry of Climate Change or Environmental Protection Agency. The 1,500 trees recklessly destroyed covered an area of 20 kanals included Tahli (Indian RoseWood), Shireen (Albizia Lebbeck), Phalahi (Amristsar Gum), Safaida (Eculyptus Globu), Rubber Plant, Shehtoot (Mulberry), Reetha (Chinaberry), Mango besides others.

According to a top official of the Ministry of Climate Change, who spoke to this scribe on condition of anonymity, confirmed the PCB did not seek the permission of the Ministry of Climate Change before putting these trees down and putting them up for auction. Pakistan is one of the countries severely affected by global warming and to overcome this, massive plantation was carried out across the country which earned it the admiration of international NGOs and departments working for the preservation of the environment. Environment experts expressed their disappointment over this non-serious and reckless attitude of Pakistan Broadcasting Cooperation.

According to the official documents PBC’s auction of these trees was discussed in a meeting held on 02-09-2021 to review different options for revenue generation from PBC’s own sources. Their auction was identified as a way out to bridge the budgetary shortfall. It said, ”the PBC has been facing a financial crisis with the accumulated liabilities of about one billion rupees which included medical bills, commutation, PM’s assistance package to families of deceased employees, maintenance of broadcasting equipment.”

The PBC sources on the other hand claim that chopping down the trees was no illegal activity as the DG PBC is the competent authority to approve such decisions. Besides, “all PPPRA formalities for auction of the trees was followed like advertisements in newspaper and PPRA website. An open auction was also conducted through a constituted committee at the unit level as well as under virtual supervision of a supervisory committee at PBC Headquarters, Islamabad to ensure transparency and fairness of the process”, the document confirmed. The supervisory committee included the chairman of administration PBC and four other members of the department.

The auctioned trees covered a total area of 20 kanals. They included Shireen (Albizia Lebbeck), Phalahi (Amristsar Gum), Safaida (Eculyptus Globu), Rubber Plant, Shehtoot (Mulberry), Tahli (Indian RoseWood), Reetha (Chinaberry), Mango trees, Silver Oak, Berry, Small wild Bushes and Jungli Toot (paper mulberry). The data also shows the sizes and width of these trees and interestingly, trees mentioned as small wild bushes are said to be 20 feet high with a width of 10 inches.