1m cubic feet timber lost yearly in K-P

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Cabinet Standing Committee was informed on Wednesday that around one million cubic feet of timber is burned annually in Dir Kohistan and Sheringal, posing a serious threat to the environment and valuable national resources.

The body met in Peshawar under the chairmanship of K-P Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Human Rights, Aftab Alam.

The moot thoroughly discussed matters related to energy, forest conservation, and the administrative and organisational affairs of Civil Defence. The body was informed that timber in Chitral currently comprises 7,343 fallen trees, 13,891 logs and 68,551 scantlings.

The meeting discussed proposals to determine the economic value of timber, prevent its illegal transportation and introduce alternative fuel sources to curb the burning of wood.

It also carried out a detailed review of the illegal cutting and transportation of timber from the forests of Arandu Gol in district Chitral.

Participants were informed that due to the weak law and order situation during the period from 2004 to 2010, large-scale illegal deforestation took place in the area.

It was proposed that on the lines of oil and gas royalties, revenue generated from 1.70 million cubic feet of timber in Arandu Gol be used for the development of the concerned areas, with an emphasis on obtaining the consent of the local population.

The meeting was informed that failure to take timely decisions could lead to the deterioration and loss of valuable timber.

The participants of the meeting discussed proposals to grant a one-time amnesty under which 70 per cent of the proceeds would go to the government and 30 per cent to local stakeholders, while, in the absence of amnesty, the provision of grant-in-aid before transferring 100 per cent of the revenue to the government was also considered.

The meeting also reviewed matters related to the Gabral–Kalam 88 MW and Madain 215 MW hydropower projects.

The energy and power secretary briefed the committee on the financial parameters of the projects, including weighted average cost of capital, expected rate of return, net present value, debt servicing capacity, payback period, and other financial and technical aspects.