PESHAWAR - Members of the committee for protection of forests in district Chitral have rejected the negative propaganda regarding cutting of trees in the valley.
Addressing a news conference here on Friday at press club, Chairman, Joint Forest Management Committee district Chitral, Major (retd) Ahmad Saeed said that the cutting of trees was being carried out under a working plan in the area. He dispelled the impression of illegal cutting.
Flanked by Haji Inzar Gul, Sirtaj Khan, former nazim and residents of the area, he said that the department concerned underthe supervision of chief conservator, Department of Environment was engaged to monitor and ensure protection of forest.
He, however, said that certain people raised the negative propaganda regarding the deforestation, having no connection with forests, and their protest campaign totally basis on political motivated and behind a vested interest.
“The cutting down of trees was totally legally and carried out under a working plan, Saeed said and added the protection of forest is best interest of people of Chitral.”
The area, he said was receiving about 60 per cent royalty from the timber, while huge revenue also generated to provincial government by wood. He said that negative campaign could be deprived people from concession facility availed by people of the valley.
He said that any anti-forest movement was created differences between people belonging to forest and non-forest areas of the Chitral, and those raised such issue, must abstain from it.
He informed that most of forests were located eastern border connected with Afghanistan, expressed fear that the worthless campaign may also create law and order issue in the valley.