PESHAWAR: The provincial task force has directed the officials concerned to take stern action against the illegal cutting of trees in Malakand division.

The task force also directed the quarters concerned to take necessary steps for amending the punitive clauses of the relevant laws to ensure exemplary punishment to those involved in illegal cutting of trees.

The task force met here on Tuesday with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan in the chair. Corps Commander Peshawar Lt Gen Nauman Mahmood and senior officers attended the meeting.

An official statement said that the task force was informed that firefighting force was being established to minimise losses in case of fire in forests. The meeting reviewed the overall security situation, administrative matters and progress so far made on developmental projects in Malakand division.

Directs revenue dept to settle land disputes in the region

It also discussed public issues of urgent nature and decided to devise a workable strategy to get those issues resolved on priority basis.

Briefing the forum about the ongoing developmental schemes in different sectors in Malakand, it was said that work on various projects worth Rs950 million was in progress for poverty alleviation and provision of employments to local people.

Various projects worth Rs8675 million have been reflected in Annual Development Programme for providing improved civic facilities to the people of Malakand. Schemes worth Rs1711 million have been approved for rural development and capacity building of civil administration in the division.

The meeting was told that under the long term programme, work on seven mega hydel power projects was in progress that would be completed with the estimated cost of Rs57 billion.

The participants of the meeting agreed to the proposal of giving special development package to backward areas of the division including Sharmingal and Lal Qilla and directed the planning and development department to come up with workable plan within a month for the purpose.

Land ownership disputes in Malakand were also identified in the meeting and the chief minister directed the revenue department to work out all the possible options including setting up of an independent commission to resolve the issues on sustainable basis.

The forum was told that a project was approved for land settlement in Dir and Kalam. Work on the project will be started soon. Work on land settlement in Chitral will be completed by September this year.

The meeting decided to strengthen tehsil municipal administration in the tourist areas of Malakand. The local government department was directed to provide the required vehicles, machinery and human resource to the TMOs of tourist areas on priority basis.

The chief minister said that issues related to electricity in the division would be resolved on sustainable basis as the matter was taken up the prime minister. He added that concrete steps would be taken within the next two years to resolve all such issues in the province.

The chief minister directed the authorities concerned to prepare a report on the issues of road infrastructure under National Highway Authority in Malakand so that the matter could be taken up with the relevant authorities at federal level.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2021