PESHAWAR, March 6: NWFP Environment Minister Shahraz Khan has urged the people to help government in its endeavour to conserve nature.

He stated this while addressing at the cheque distribution ceremony being organized to capitalize village conservation funds of custodian communities living around Chitral Gol National Park. The ceremony was arranged by the NWFP wildlife department.

The minister said that the Chitral Gol project was a testimony that when people received financial incentives to protect Markhor, the ruthless hunting of the animal stopped.

Now the Chitral Gol National Park has the biggest population of Markhors and communities involved in protection of the wildlife were also receiving funds for development of their area, he added.

MNA from Chitral Abdul Akbar Chitrali, NWFP Secretary (environment) Ghazi Marjan and representative of the communities also spoke on the occasion.

NWFP Wildlife Chief Conservator Dr Mumtaz Malik apprised the people about measures taken by the department to protect wildlife through involvement of the communities.

Dr Malik said that the ceremony was organized to provide funds to eight village conservation communities to generate resources so that their dependence on Chitral Gol National Park could be reduced.

He demanded that the government should allow trophy hunting of Markhor in the vicinity of the park to generate more funds for the communities.-APP