PESHAWAR, Oct 15: There were times when wildlife was not given much attention, but now the situation has changed considerably in the Frontier province due to effective measures taken by the NWFP Wildlife Department.

“In the recent past, the department has established protected areas, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, game and private-community reserves and farms across the province in a bid to strengthen the wildlife conservation and protection programme aimed at protecting endangered species for a sustainable environment and eco-system,” said Dr Mumtaz Malik, Chief Conservator of NWFP Wildlife Department, in an interview here on Sunday.

Five national parks in Ayubia, Chitral, Shaikh Badin, Saiful Mulook and Lalashure, three wildlife sanctuaries in Agram Basti, Borakka and Manshi and 36 games reserves had been setup to conserve wildlife and biodiversity, said Dr Malik, the architect of the conservation programme.

Also established to conserve rare species are Tanda wildlife park (spread over 1,133 hectares), Kotal wildlife park (100 hectares), Togh Mangara safari park (1,214 hectares) in Kohat wildlife division, Kund wildlife park at Jehangira in Swabi and Dhodial peasantry in Manshera, besides 17 private game reserves and 55 community game reserves, he added.

About the human resource development and capacity-building programme, he said that four officials were currently undergoing an MS degree programme in wildlife conservation at the University of Montana USA while three more officers would be sent to the UK in December for an MS degree programme. He said 50 per cent of the officers of the department had been trained.

When asked about the ongoing donors-funded projects, the wildlife department chief said that a gigantic Mountain Areas Conservancy Project worth Rs589.95 million had been launched to strengthen institutional and human capacities of community-level organisations for planning and management of wildlife.

“Also under way is the Rs193.478 million Protected Areas Management Project aimed at reducing park-people conflicts by integrating local communities into park planning and management activities,” he said.

About the ongoing projects that are a part of the Public Sector Development Plan, he said the Implementation of Management Plan for Ayubia National Park Abbottabad costing Rs72.71 million had already been launched for completion in June 2010.

“We will focus on improving operational capabilities of the field staff, park infrastructure and tourist facilities, besides setting up a park endowment fund,” he said.

Aimed at propagating the endangered species like Chinkara, Urial, Goral and Blue Bull in hilly Cherat in Nowshera district, the Chitral Wildlife Park Project entailing Rs37.386 million was also under way, he informed.

Dr Malik said that his department had proposed four mega projects of Rs961 million for implementing biodiversity-related international conventions in the province and raising awareness about sustainable development of biodiversity and community participation for conservation of wildlife in the province.

The proposals had been forwarded to the federal government for approval, he added.

“We will also establish a wildlife zoo in Peshawar at a cost of Rs50 million,” he said, adding that work on the project would start during the ongoing fiscal year.

Similarly work on Palas Conservation and Development Project in Khistan costing Rs5 million, establishment of Partridge Breeding Centre in Agha Laraly Dir Lower and Karak costing Rs10 million and Management of Water Foul in NWFP costing Rs5 million would start soon, he added.

Work on the Wildlife Safari Park in Malakand, with an estimated cost of Rs20 million, would be completed in 2008, he added.

The total ADP of the wildlife department had jumped to a record Rs78 million in 2006-07 from just Rs8 million in 1997-98, he said.

Conservation and development of wildlife in Mardan and establishment of a database and planning wing in the NWFP Wildlife Department had also been planned, said Dr Mumtaz.—APP