IWMB announces fees for Margalla events

Chairperson Rina Saeed Khan rolls out board’s updated website

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) amid a paucity of funds has decided to generate revenue by charging fees to individuals and institutions for holding activities in the Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) protected area.

IWMB Chairperson Rina Saeed Khan made the important announcement at the launching ceremony of the new and updated website of IWMB on Saturday.

Rina Saeed Khan said many educational institutions, civil society and non-governmental organisations and private and corporate entities used to hold hiking and trekking tours in the national park and many other awareness activities. However, previously all those activities were for free but now all and sundry would have to fill out a one-page form before seeking permission, whereas the Board would allow one-day permission, she added.

The chairperson said the board was cognisant of the fact that this move would be resisted by public circles but the IWMB could not allow free visits further. She said the new website was built by a volunteer Abu Bakar who had charged a very nominal amount for the task.

Rina Saeed said the previous website of the Board was outdated and not up to the mark to provide any information or an outlook of the wildlife board that had gone through several transformative phases over the years.

The updated website was launched by the IWMB chairperson and the web developer Abu Bakar. It comprised of application forms for guided tours and one-day activities, a special tab for IWMB donations, and other associated non-profit organisations assisting the Board in managing the national park on a volunteer basis.

Read IWMB starts registration of captive birds, animals

Before the web launch, the chairperson showcased two short documentaries. One made by the Dawood Foundation titled, “Margalla Urban Wilderness: Margalla Hills National Park” that was eight years old and shed light on the National Park’s creation, biodiversity, risks and challenges faced by it and its potential in replenishing nature.

The IWMB chairperson said the stone crushers depicted in the documentary were shut down under the Supreme Court orders. However, littering is a huge problem in the national park further marred by plastic pollution that was massive in MHNP, she added.

Due to a shortage of funds the board apart from its limited staff was relying more on its 200 dedicated volunteers who regularly pick up trash on Sundays. “Mansoor Khan Sherwani is an example for others and we need more such volunteers who dedicatedly visit the National Park and educate masses on nature protection and conservation,” Rina Saeed said.

She also presented another documentary on Leopard Preserve Zone at Trail-6 titled “Margalla Hills Leopard Kingdom”. The Board was offering guided tours to people visiting Trail-6 that are paid with the goal of preserving nature. “Mohibullah, an IWMB volunteer has data of leopards, and another volunteer Anoushe, a wildlife photographer was doing photography of leopards which was done on night in a guarded chamber that she could not leave for the whole night,” she said.

The Wildlife Board had successfully controlled hunting and poaching, whereas those incidents were reported in the Quaid-e-Azam University vicinity, she said.

The board’s wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre established at the old Islamabad Zoo had emerged as the only source of trained staff to handle injured and traumatised wild, stray and domestic animals. “We wanted to convert it into a rehab centre for wildlife as we receive numerous calls to rescue wild animals. We have seven rescued black bears, one rescued Bengal tiger, and many monkeys,” she added.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 26^th, 2023.

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