Forest dept asked to reply to allegations that it is flouting laws

The petitioner says that the forest dept had leased land without asking for rent.

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the forest secretary and chief conservator for forests to file comments regarding allegations that they are flouting laws by excessively leasing pieces of land in jungles to private groups.

Petitioner Rana Faizal Hassan, who represented the United Human Rights Commission, said he had written several letters to the chief minister and other officials, expressing his concern over the fact that the forests in the province were vanishing because of negligence.

“The land mafia and developers have encroached upon forests in Sindh, especially around Karachi,” he stated. “Forests extending from Kashmore all the way down to Karachi…have been depleted. But the forest department, which is responsible to protect the fauna and flora, is hand in glove with the land grabbers.”

Hassan said that the land mafia had chopped a large number of trees in areas but had not paid the rent. “They are selling wood worth millions of rupees and causing heavy financial loss to the government.”

He stated though the forest department was asked to grow trees on up to 30 percent land area it has failed to do so.



“One-third of Pakistan’s forests have already been depleted in just two decades.

This is posing serious threats in the form of climate change and increased pollution levels.”

The petitioner added that those granted lease of forest lands had failed to grow trees on 25 percent of area, as per the provisions of the Forest Act, 1927.

Secondly, the forest department had not asked them for rent.

He pleaded the court to issue notices to the forest secretary, chief conservator of forests and conservators of the forests in Sukkur, Larkana, Thatta and Hyderabad.

Acting Chief Justice Maqbool Baqir, who headed the bench, issued notices to them, ordering them to file their comments by April 15.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 2^nd, 2013.