Punjab Forest Department (PFD) has retrieved 20,000 forest land from illegal occupants in the D G Khan and Bahawalpur divisions for plantation of trees, Punjab minister for forest and wildlife Malik Muhammad Asif Bha Awan told Business Recorder. He said the Punjab government has prepared a plan to increase forestation in the province under which these retrieved lands would be given to the private sector through a transparent and open bids.
Bha said that a forest company headed by Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari has been formed to implement the programme under which the government would get 40 percent share of the proceeds while the bidder/investor would get 60 percent share. He said the provincial government passed the Forest Act under which and cutting of trees in the province has been banned and forest land can only be used for the purpose of forestry. He regretted that over the years, the forest lands in the province had been misused for other purpose in the name of development projects. In response to a question, he clarified, "government is not disbanding the forest department the downsizing of the employees is not under consideration".
About declining number of animals in the Lahore Zoological Gardens, the minister said that a 12-member committee had been set up for purchase of increasing number and pairing of animals in Lahore Zoo and Lahore Safari Zoo Park. He said this committee has been directed to complete the requirements of new animals within 15 days so that purchase of new animals could be started.
He said that he had also proposed setting up of souvenir shops containing animals' photographs in Lahore Zoo and Lahore Safari Zoo Park. He claimed that the departments under a co-ordinated strategy, will extend the scope of wildlife parks to all divisions of the province in the first phase and in the second phase its scope be extended to district level. He said that existing parks should be upgraded so that equal recreational opportunities could be available to all visitors.