Depleting forests

The forests of Soan Sakesar valley in the Khushab district of Punjab have been depleting for many years owing to forest fires and deforestation. With the provincial government turning a blind eye, the problem has escalated. On the one hand, intense heat during summers has burned down forests over thousands of acres and on the other, sawmills remain guilty of ruthlessly cutting down hundreds of maunds of wood every other day. The ban on the transport of timber under Section 144 has not been effectively implemented and strategies for preventing and controlling forest fires remain absent as blazes persist for days. The decimation of these forests has greatly impacted the ecological balance of the area as temperatures have risen and ground water has degraded while wildlife, agriculture, livestock and tourism have suffered significantly.

Local communities are constantly fighting against authorities to act, and further claim that nearby mines have also destroyed the beauty of the forest. The authorities need to work hand in hand with the local people and set up a committee comprising both the stakeholders to fight the problem. Forest land and mines need to be surveilled and a campaign should be initiated to create awareness. Apart from levying fines and regulations, a re-planting act should be imposed which would make it compulsory for those cutting down trees to replant them back. Funds should be set in place by the government to provide the valley with the necessary resources needed to re-plant the forest. Such areas are important as they can become grounds for initiating sustainable and eco-friendly projects that can help enhance the livelihood of the people.

The local community needs to be an active member in trying to create a fundamental system through which they can build and develop rather than cut down and destroy. A collective effort will always lead to collective benefits.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 5^th, 2020.

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