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Deforestation threatens Lasbella

KARACHI: The Society for Conservation and Protection of Environment (Scope) has appealed to government of Balochistan to check deforestation in the province as land degradation was rapidly advancing in Lasbella District which being an agricultural area was the main source of revenue for the locals.

A Scope mission which visited Windor, Uthal and Lasbella (Balochistan) in order to ascertain the extent of the problem of decertification reported that natural cause of decertification was persistent drought situation. However, the case was different in this district, where wide scale deforestation was the root cause.

It during its visit learnt that influx of a large number of Afghans in the district has led to this problem. On payment of very nominal fee, these Afghans procure and permission of landowners and tribal chiefs for indiscriminate cutting of trees. They then process the wood by burning them in special kilns to convert it into wood charcoals. Raw wood was also sold on the pavements and roadsides, Scope said.

It expressed concern over the situation and warned that this trend would lead to worst kind of decertification and social erosion which would eventually destroy the rich agricultural and natural landscape of the Lasbella district. PPI