RAWALPINDI, July 11: Inspector-General Forest Bashir Ahmad Wani has underlined the need for community involvement in conservation of forest to avoid soil erosion and environmental pollution. He said this while speaking at the concluding ceremony of the National Children Mountain Conservation (NCMC) Meet at a local hotel. The event, organized by the Adventure Foundation Pakistan (AFP), was participated by 120 children from all over country who spent 10 days in Ghora Gali.

Its main purpose was to raise awareness among children of conservation of natural habitat.

The IG forest said the government had been making efforts to preserve forests which, he added, were very important to keep the environment clean and prevent pollution.

Cutting down of forest results in soil erosion and environmental issues. For this, it is necessary that the community at the grass-roots level is involved in the process, he said.

Mr Wani said the government had framed a policy under which no new project could be launched unless its environmental impact had been assessed.

The policy stresses that five trees should be planted in place of the one which is cut down. This also requires active involvement of the community, he said, adding that only this way could we prevent soil erosion and environmental degradation.

Similarly, the government is also planning to establish recycling factories so that solid waste like shopping bags and other materials could be recycled. This will help save environment from pollution.

It was also the unanimous resolution of the conference participants that use of shopping bags be banned in the Galiyat, if not the entire country. To a question, he said forest staff had been directed to kill leopards when their number increased and they posed threat to human lives.

Adventure Foundation Pakistan (AFP) President Brig (retired) Jan Nadir said at the time of the creation of Pakistan about 4.7 per cent area was covered by forests but now it had been reduced to two per cent.

He stressed on the children to practically do what they had learnt during their stay in Ghora Gali. He said children were a great power if provided opportunities. He especially mentioned their role in raising awareness of environmental issues.

AFP Director-General Aftabur Rehman said the NCMC was being organized on regular basis every year since 2002.

The children also underlined the importance of conservation of forests to avoid environmental degradation and prevent soil erosion.