'Billions of rupees being spent on Northern Areas forests, agriculture sector'

The government is spending billion of rupees for the development of agriculture and preservation of forests on modern lines in Northern Areas.
This was stated by Secretary Food, Agriculture and Forests Northern Areas Salman Wali, while talking to newsmen after launching tree plantation campaign in Northern Areas on Wednesday.
He said the government was taking various steps to boost agriculture and conservation of forests sector including a 10-year ban on cutting of forests, as it was our national asset, a proper care was needed to protect them from ruthless cutting.
He said strict action would be taken against the people involved in illegal cutting, adding that special arrangements were being made to stop illegal cutting of forests in NAs. Culprits involved in the abhorrent business would be dealt with iron hand, he added. He said that deforestation and indiscriminate felling of trees had badly affected beautification of the region and posing serious threat to the environment. Under the plantation campaign, Rs 18 million saplings would be planted during the current year, he said, adding the department had Rs 705 budget for conservation of forests and plantation campaigns of which Rs 32.820 million had been loaned to farmers.