The Mafia under the patronage of feudal politicians moving in power corridors has cut down the productive forests spread over an area of 0.8 million acres to hardly ten per cent through illegal cutting despite ban imposed by the Federal Government on harvesting of green wood.
The environmentalists expressed their grave concern over illegal cutting of trees, which might disturb the ecological balance of the province.
It may be recalled, during the year 2000-01 around 14 to 15 forest management plans were launched mostly funded by Asian Development Bank with millions of rupees. As per these management plans, even by June 2000, the stock area was of 200 per cent of the total area under control of the department but due to illicit woodcutting by the Mafia 50 per cent growth has been unofficial disposed off. A high level inquiry may reveal startling stories of corruption and financial mismanagement.
Some of the top officials on condition of anonymity quoted some glaring examples and one of those included massive woodcutting illegally and disposal of stock worth tens of million of rupees at Keti Jurio Forest of Nawabshah. Following the complaint an inquiry was ordered by the then Chairman ACC 1 Sindh Karachi which immediately obtained preliminary inquiry report conducted by Bashir Nizamani conservator of forest on the order of the minister of sorest besides another inquiry report by Ali Gul Lakho then conservator of forest. Both reports conformed embezzlement of million of rupees besides identifying the culprits but no action had been taken against the accused. The report was shelved in cold storage.
In second example rupees 11.833 million reportedly have been misappropriated by officials in Penah and Hunderani forests of Thatta despite ban, besides encroachment of thousand of acres of land in Thatta. The inquiry officer Muzaffar Ali Talpur in his letter to conservator of forest research cell Hyderabad in his letter no C Vll/1965 dated 20th September 05 during the inquiry constantly warned of threat of local dacoits and the part even come under firing, he said that the above mentioned episode seemed to be pre-planned. However, a loss of Babool 98,583 cubic feet and Eucalyptus 33,154 cubic feet was confirmed.
According to sources close to forest Department, a reference regarding corruption has already been submitted to NAB about the loss around rupees 100 million by six top officials of forest department.
Finance Department has directed the Sindh Forest Department to fix responsibility on the officers for wastage of government money. Meanwhile the NAB has also started investigation and its inquiry report would be conveyed to audit.
A senior Forest Officer told Business Recorder on condition of anonymity that when department was free of political interference, 1,610 offences were detected during three years and an amount of rupees 5.59 million was recovered as value plus compensation while several officials had been dismissed or sent on compulsory retirement. But during past five years very few offences were reported, which spoke volume of Mafia in Sindh Forestry.