KHYBER: Illegal cutting of wild berry and olive trees in different areas of Bara here has been continuing without any check, sources said.

They told this correspondent that local men in Lawatta area of Sheen Kamar, Lakarr Baba and surrounding areas had been sending women of their families for felling the berry and wild olive trees under the pretext of domestic consumption.

The sources said that timber mafia was behind the rapid cutting of natural forests while some influential local elders were also supporting them.

Saadullah Khan, a resident of Lawatta village, said that under the tribal customs and traditions they could not stop women from cutting ripe berry and wild olive trees.

“The natural forest of these two wild species is fast depleting due to ruthless cutting since the return of displaced families of Bara in late 2014,” he said.

He said that some nature-loving residents of Sheen Kamar had tried their best to discourage the cutting of local forest as the illegal activity was depriving the surrounding hills of greenery.

Said Rasool, another resident, insisted that the forest department should protect their forests and also carry out grafting of wild olive for getting real olive fruit.

He claimed that the matter was brought into the notice of forest authorities and officials of the district administration, but to no avail. He said that even the illegal transportation of chopped trees was going on unchecked to other parts of Khyber district and the province.

The residents have demanded an immediate ban on cutting of forest and bringing the culprits to book.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2021