PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has directed for taking steps to make the act of setting fire to a forest as a non-bailable offence.

A statement issued here said that Mr Khan was chairing a meeting regarding the recent incidents of forest fires in the province. It was attended by Provincial Minister for Forests Ishtiaq Urmer, Chief Secretary Dr Shehzad Bangash, IGP Moazzam Jah Ansari, secetary forests Mohammad Abid Majeed and other officials.

The participants were informed that a total of 283 incidents of forest fires had been reported across the province over past some weeks. It was stated that in majority of cases the fire incidents took place in dry grass and shrubs, and only 22 trees in designated forests were damaged in the blazes across the province.

The meeting decided to formulate a strategy for prevention of such incidents in future by tightening the relevant laws to punish those who set the mountains/forests on fires intentionally on the basis of personal enmities. It was decided to constitute committees at district level to keep a vigilant eye on such destructive activities.

The committees, to be headed by deputy commissioners, will have representation of police, special branch, Rescue 1122, forest department and district administrations.

The forum decided to categorise the mountains/forests as high, medium and low risk areas.

Published in Dawn,June 18th, 2022