Eco-friendly stoves to control smog

To reduce smog and curb wood theft in government forests, the Rawalpindi Forest Department has decided to distribute eco-friendly stoves to 250 households in areas of the district for free.

These innovative stoves employ European zigzag technology, burning 50 per cent less wood compared to conventional stoves while delivering a longer-lasting fire.

They can also serve as heaters after cooking, providing a sustainable heating solution for the residents of hilly tehsils such as Kahutta, Kotli Sattian, and Murree which rely on wood as fuel.

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The project was originally initiated by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government in 2021 but was unannouncedly halted by the former PDM government in the winter of 2022. The forest department has now decided to restart the distribution with its resources, providing them in smaller quantities.

The PTI government had previously distributed 500 of these stoves over two years, with a target of adding 200 more each year. According to the forest department, these stoves with new technology generate high heat, reduce wood consumption by over 50 per cent, and produce fire faster and for longer durations.

They emit white smoke, similar to the eco-friendly zigzag brick kilns, in contrast to black smoke, which contributes to smog.

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The distribution of these stoves will commence next month in December. To combat wood theft in government forests in hilly tehsils, the department has implemented strict measures.

Tourists are prohibited from lighting fires during picnics in these forests, and citizens are not allowed to carry saws, knives, daggers, or sharp saw blades. Additionally, security patrols have been increased, and closed-circuit cameras have been installed on crucial roads to further deter wood theft incidents, which tend to spike during the winter months.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 12^th, 2023.