18 April 2005	Monday	08 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1426

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PESHAWAR, April 17: The village conservation committees of Chitral would be released funds from the proceeds of the Markhor trophy hunting on April 25, ending a year-long monetary dispute between certain communities and the wild life department, according to official sources. An amount of Rs 15 million would be distributed among VCCs of Chitral in accordance with their respective share under the total proceeds raised through the sale of permits for Markhor trophy hunting.

The NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani would be the chief guest on the occasion. Representatives of more than 30 VCCs would get cheques in proportion to their respective committee’s share from the proceeds raised during the hunting season of 2004 and 2005.

The disbursement of funds would take place at the culmination of a monetary dispute between certain VCCs of Chitral district as a result of which the wildlife department did not distribute funds raised from the trophy hunting season of 2004.

The wild life department, said the sources, had identified certain other valleys in Kohistan district as well as Dir district for establishing Markhor game reserves with dual purpose of raising funds for local communities and protecting Markhor from getting extinct after it was declared an endangered species in 1991 by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of flora and faunae.