Action urged against illegal forest cutting
As deforestation and climate change ravage India's UNESCO heritage-listed Western Ghats mountain range, an all-female rainforest force is battling to protect one of the area's last enclaves of biodiversity. AFP
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Abbottabad Tariq Salam Marwat directed officials of the forest department to take action against illegal forest cutting.
He was addressing a meeting on Monday. He directed the forest magistrates to resolve forest cases and the forest department to fully cooperate with them.
Additional Assistant Commissioners have been given powers of Forest Magistrates Class I under Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forest Ordinance 2020 by the district administration. Additional Assistant Commissioner-1 Police Station will be responsible for the boundaries of Cantt, City, Mirpur and Mangal areas.Additional Assistant II will hear cases of Havelian, Lora and Nara.
Additional Assistant Kashminar-3 will be in charge of Bakot, Donga Gali, Bagnotar and Nawanshahr police stations while Additional Assistant Kashminar Revenue will be in charge of Sherwan Police Station/areas.
Later in the day, Marwat directed the district administration to resolve public issues on a priority basis.
Citizens can register their complaints by contacting the District Control Room 24/7 for identification and feedback.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 1st, 2022.