June 05, 2006	Monday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 8, 1427

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BAHAWALPUR, June 4: The Punjab government is contemplating to drop the development of lawyers’ colony at the oldest plantation on Karachi Morr here. The establishment of lawyers’ colony was announced by the chief minister during his visit here in March on the demand of lawyers.

Sources said the decision to protect the forest by shifting the lawyers’ colony project somewhere else had been taken by the chief minister after a strong protest by the public circle, NGOs and environmentalists.

They had vehemently opposed the felling of thousands of trees for developing the colony.

Stood by his word, it was learnt, the chief minister had promised to provide the colony to local lawyers at some alternative place, preferably on Yazman Road, where the revenue staff was asked to search the state land.

It may be mentioned that the chief minister had reluctantly approved the lawyers’ colony on this land despite the stiff opposition by the forest department.

About 19,000 trees were planted in 1931 in this patch of the forest covering an area of some 100 acres.

WINDSTORM: Another windstorm of a mild velocity hit the city and suburban areas on Sunday afternoon. Earlier, the city was lashed by a strong windstorm on Friday that caused extensive damage to electricity installations.