PESHAWAR, Dec 1: Massive use of gunfire and bombs in South Waziristan during a year-long, continuing campaign against militants has had negative effects on its ecology, officials and environmentalists say.

According to independent circles in Wana, the armed conflict has played havoc with most of trees in orchards and forests, destroyed a traditional underground irrigation system called 'Karez' at several places and damaged farmlands.

Military officials say the ammunition used did not contain any substance harmful to atmosphere, but environmental experts disagree with the contention. "Environment does not only mean atmosphere, flora and fauna, water and other characteristics of ecosystem," said an official expert, adding "it is the human being which forms the most important part of the environment".

Environment is all about human beings living in an area, their daily life, economic interests and social activities, he said. Another expert said the exact nature of damage could only be ascertained if a study was conducted on scientific lines.

"The intensity with which the two sides used arms and ammunition would have certainly damaged the ecosystem in the areas concerned," said a well-placed environmental expert.

"Several of the orchards have been hit hard because of armed clashes and bombing by fighter jets and artillery fire," said a tribesman from Wana, the headquarters of South Waziristan Agency.

Azam Warsak, Kaloosha and Shin Warsak are the areas where a large number of fruit trees have been gutted or badly damaged and the underground irrigation system has received negative effects in the areas of Laman, Kari Kot, Dab Kot, Dog, Ucha Karra, Zari Noor, Gangikhel and Ghawa Khawa.

People in these areas suggest that the affected horticulture sector would take years to overcome the devastating effects of the conflict between security forces and the remnants of the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

Experts are of the view that since many of the terrorist hideouts, located in forests, had been targeted with bombs it might have forced birds to migrate to safer places.