PESHAWAR, Sept 7: A comprehensive plan has been chalked out and Rs3227.882 million allocated for developing forests in the tribal belt bordering Afghanistan in order to bring maximum land under forestry. Of this amount, Rs934.867 million have already been utilized while Rs195.867 million will be spent during the current financial year, said a press release issued here on Wednesday.

Besides, the forest department has planned a number of forestry schemes to be implemented during 2005-06 with an allocation of Rs173.904 million. The schemes include raising of block-plantation on 18,486 acres of land and nurseries on 74 acres and maintenance of block-plantation over an area of 22832 acres.

According to the agency-wise break-down, the Khyber Agency, with an allocation of Rs35.074 million, will be followed by the South Waziristan, the Orakzai and the Mohmand agencies with allocations of Rs26.534 million, Rs22.956 and Rs19.211 million respectively.

The main focus of the department is on checking ecological degradation by raising vegetative cover and sustainable management of existing natural and planted forests in Fata.

The strategy adopted for forest sector development includes rehabilitation of denuded hills through extensive plantation.

In the Khyber Agency, barren hills of Landi Kotal would be brought under forests while denuded hills around the Peshawar valley would be rehabilitated.

The release added that the approved cost of the project was Rs44.569 million out of which Rs7.500 million were spent during the last fiscal while allocation for 2005-06 is Rs4.500 million.

The forest sector development and rehabilitation plan is aimed at recovering losses and boosting tree plantation on a bigger scale, the release added.—APP