CHAGCHARAN (SW): Provincial government officials and warlords are involved in Illegal logging of forests in Ghor province, locals have complained.
Syed Akram and Fazal Haq, two residents of the province, informed Salam Watandar rampant logging is underway in the Shahrak district. They alleged the local officials have joined hands with the outlawed forces to cut the forests, and use the wood for heating. The locals fear if this is not stopped, all trees in Shahrak district would be cut.
Mohammad Wahdat, interim head for the provincial Environment Protection Agency (EPA), acknowledged the fact the trees have been ruthlessly cut in the province. He informed the destruction of forests have also left negative impacts on fauna in the area as many species of animals and birds have migrated to other areas upon losing their habitat here. Wahdat lamented that the provincial government and security officials have not paid attention to this issue despite repeated calls for action.
Same were the views of Abdul Tawab Tayab, director for the provincial directorate of agriculture, irrigation and livestock. He, however, stressed that no one would be allowed to cut trees in the province. Tayab added planning is underway to form a committee to safeguard forests in the Shahrak district.
Official statistics at the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL), suggest some 700 thousand hectors of forests have been destroyed due to ragging conflict out of the total 1.9 million hectors of forest cover in the country.
ENDS
