Burn one down: Chopping 400-year-old trees to survive the winters

In absence of alternative fuels, the only option is to use wood, say villagers .

KALAM:

As winter comes, the people of Kalam, in a vicious cycle, begin their annual felling of timber. But unlike members of the timber cartels that chop trees by the thousands for business purposes, villagers claim they only take what they need to survive the harsh temperatures.

In absence of alternative fuel to keep them warm, residents term their action a “necessity”, adding if the government is serious in curbing deforestation it should provide subsidised gas cylinders.

The forest department sits idle even though it is responsible for protecting 148,000 acres of forest land in Swat. PHOTO: SHERINZADA/EXPRESS

With the sound of axes and mechanical saws constantly reverberating in the valley, villagers express little regard for the adverse environmental effects of their actions. Similarly, one of the most abundant types of wood in the region, “Diyar”, which sells for Rs3,000 per foot in the market and is a favourtie throughout the country for making furniture, is being burnt as fuel.

Rahim Zada, a resident of Baloga village near Kalam, said residents are aware of the forests’ worth, both in terms of nature and business, but being in a remote region they have no choice but to chop trees for fuel and construction.

Ghulam Hayat, another resident of the same village, said the government must supply gas to their area so they can survive the winters.

Sakhi Malik, a local elder in Kalam, said: “People chop down Diyar knowing that one tree takes 400 years to grow completely.” Yet, the forest department sits idle even though it is responsible for protecting 148,000 acres of forest land in Swat.



Kalam Divisional Forest Officer Salim Marwat said “People are only allowed to cut trees which have dried up and not those that are still green.” He said strict action would be taken against those found felling green trees. Marwat, however, had no evidence to share of any action taken against the timber cartel or villagers cutting trees for fuel.

He also failed to provide any substantial evidence as to his department’s reforestation or afforestation drives.



Dr Wadood, President of the Kalam Hotel Association, said deforestation in Swat was a threat to tourism and had also destroyed the once abundant wildlife. He said the government must convene a jirga and discuss measures to conserve the region’s forests.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28^th, 2013.