Official negligence: Balochistan forest cover decreasing at alarming rate
Authorities struggle to update century-old Forest Act in place since 1890.
QUETTA:
The latest casualty of official negligence in Balochistan is the province’s forest cover that has declined from 2.6% in 2010 to 1.2% in 2011.
Officials in the Balochistan forests department said the rapid reduction is due to lack of planning and paucity of resources and manpower, but also criticised the government’s apathetic attitude.
This, they said, is reflected in the fact that the year 2011 has been declared as the year of forests in Balochistan but it seems to have had little impact.
“The government has allocated a mere 0.02% of the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) this fiscal year, which reflects the government’s apathy,” said a senior official from the Balochistan forest department, requesting anonymity.
Environment experts say forests should cover 25% of Balochistan’s area to maintain an ecological balance. Additionally, almost 85% of the province’s population lives in the rural areas and relies on agriculture, livestock and other natural resources.
“Agriculture and livestock are directly or indirectly attached to forests and environment,” said Ghulam Ali Baloch, secretary of Balochistan’s forests department. “The department is currently working towards improving the situation and increasing the cover area.”
According to Baloch, the department is currently reviewing the century-old Forest Act 1890 and revamping the Forests Regulation Authority, which was established in 1927.
According to the act, a fine of Rs5 has to be paid by a person found chopping off a tree. Since the regulations were never updated, the same fine applies today.
The department has drafted a fresh act and the law will soon be tabled for approval in the Balochistan Assembly.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 8th, 2011.
The latest casualty of official negligence in Balochistan is the province’s forest cover that has declined from 2.6% in 2010 to 1.2% in 2011.
Officials in the Balochistan forests department said the rapid reduction is due to lack of planning and paucity of resources and manpower, but also criticised the government’s apathetic attitude.
This, they said, is reflected in the fact that the year 2011 has been declared as the year of forests in Balochistan but it seems to have had little impact.
“The government has allocated a mere 0.02% of the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) this fiscal year, which reflects the government’s apathy,” said a senior official from the Balochistan forest department, requesting anonymity.
Environment experts say forests should cover 25% of Balochistan’s area to maintain an ecological balance. Additionally, almost 85% of the province’s population lives in the rural areas and relies on agriculture, livestock and other natural resources.
“Agriculture and livestock are directly or indirectly attached to forests and environment,” said Ghulam Ali Baloch, secretary of Balochistan’s forests department. “The department is currently working towards improving the situation and increasing the cover area.”
According to Baloch, the department is currently reviewing the century-old Forest Act 1890 and revamping the Forests Regulation Authority, which was established in 1927.
According to the act, a fine of Rs5 has to be paid by a person found chopping off a tree. Since the regulations were never updated, the same fine applies today.
The department has drafted a fresh act and the law will soon be tabled for approval in the Balochistan Assembly.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 8th, 2011.