The Punjab Forest Department has approved a second national park in the dense forest of Shin Ji in tehsil Talagang.
The second national park will be established in the 300-year-old “Shin Ji” forest in Talagang, located on the confluence of Chakwal and Attock districts of Rawalpindi division.
The first national park was completed in March this year. It has been decided that the second national park will be built on 15,000 acres of the dense forest and the the forest department has been requested to provide Rs70 million.
A 60 feet high watch tower will also be built in the new park from where tourists will be able to enjoy the natural beauty of the entire forest and the surrounding areas.
A mini lake, jogging track and a rest house will also be built. Closed circuit television cameras will be installed at key locations for security. Lights will also be installed.
Shin Ji is the oldest natural dense forest in the area. Logging has already been banned in the area while check posts have been set up at all entry and exit points of the forest. According to sources in the forest department, the first national park has been created and a large number of tourists visit it.
According to the sources, the second national park will be completed before June 30, 2022. As many as 30,000 fruit trees will be planted in the national park. The plantation of fruit trees aimed to attract wild birds there.
The forest already has a large number of wild birds and their population is expected to increase after the plantation of fruit trees.
The mini lake and two or three mini ponds will provide water for birds and other wildlife. They will also be used for breeding fish. Breeding of fish will also attract water birds in the park. Huts and benches will be built in the park for tourists where families could come for picnic.
Forests Secretary Shahid Zaman will directly oversee the construction of the new national park. The stone benches built during the British rule in Shin Ji are in a dilapidated condition. It will be the largest National Park in Rawalpindi in the first phase. The first phase is spread over 12000 acres, while the second phase will be built on 15000 acres.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 17th, 2021.
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