PESHAWAR - Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan has directed the high ups of the forest department to come up with necessary amendments in the existing legal framework of forest proposing more strict punitive actions and heavier fines for those involved in illegal cuttings of forests so that such illegal cuttings of forest could be stopped effectively.
Addressing a meeting of the forest department, Mahmood Khan stressed the need of scientific management of forests in the province. He directed the quarters concerned to work out a feasible working plan along with realistic timelines of implementation to this end. The meeting was briefed about the achievements of the department, progress so far made on afforestation under the Ten Billion Tree Afforestation Project, steps taken to stop illegal cuttings of trees, future strategy, issues and many other allied matters.
Besides KP Minister for Forest and Environment Ishtiaq Urmar, the meeting was attended by Secretary Forest Shahidullah Khan, Project Director Billion Tree Project Tehmasib Khan and other relevant authorities.