MITHI: Members of civil society as well as activists of non-governmental organisa­tions working for environ­ment and other social issues in Thar have demanded the Sindh government should impose Section 144 to ban felling of trees to stop desertification in the area which is already facing brunt of climate change.

Mohammad Siddique Rahi­moon, chief of a local NGO, told Dawn on Wednes­day that timber mafia was busy cutting down trees in the desert region with complete impunity and without any fear of getting caught. Many old trees had been chopped down in Thar particularly in Chhachhro and Dahli talukas, he said.

He demanded the government should impose Section 144 to ban cutting down trees to stop deserti­fica­tion in the area, which was already facing the brunt of climate change. Every sensible and conscien­tious person was concerned over dangerous impact of deforestation, he said.

Khalid Kumbhar, social activist and writer, expres­sed deep concern over large-scale activities of timber mafia in Thar saying that it was a serious crime, espe­cially at a time when govern­ments in the Centre as well as in provinces had laun­ch­ed tree plantation drive.

He said that livestock in Thar survived only on lea­ves of trees during drought, still no action was in sight to control extermination of this main source of survival of livestock, which was mainstay of desert economy.

Sajan Charo, social acti­vist, demanded the Sindh govern­ment should imme­dia­tely direct deputy comm­i­s­sioner and officials of the forest department to take punitive action against those involved in the crim­inal activity with the help of local police.

Trees from tops of sand dunes and grazing lands which were govern­ment land were being cut down without any check, he said.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2018