ISLAMABAD, April 29: The New Murree City project of the Punjab government will not only destroy Patriata forest, which has highly fragile ecosystem, but also create water crisis in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, a report shows.

The scientific report on the New Murree City project by an independent body, Rural Areas Development Organization (Rado), reveals that due to topography of Patriata ridge about 45 per cent area falls within the catchment area of Simly dam.

Simly dam, which supplies 26 per cent of the total drinking water to Islamabad, is dependent on Patriata forest as it receives heavy rainfall.

Under the project, at least 10 per cent of the existing standing stock of conifer trees would be cut down which would not only cause heavy deforestation but also take another 120 years to achieve a balanced hydrological cycle.

It warns that even five per cent tree cutting will disturb the closed-canopy of Patriata forest. It says that the existing forest absorbed more solar radiation than any other vegetation type and reflects less heat back into the atmosphere.

The report revealed that the Gazette Notification of the Indian government, October 27, 1886, had termed Patriata forest highly fragile.

According to the report, Pakistan is faced with an acute problem of forest resource scarcity coupled with deteriorating natural environment. The meagre forest cover, 4.8 per cent of the total forest area, is further deteriorating due to heavy demands of rapidly increasing population and urbanization.

Particularly in the Punjab, it says, the forest cover is only 0.37 per cent of the total area which is equivalent to only 0.771 million hectares.

“Despite this forest scarcity, the Punjab government allotted 4,111 acres of Patriata forest land to New Murree Development Authority (NMDA) for the New Murree City project,” the report observes.

The conversion of Patriata forest land to a tourist city will generate undesirable ecological, social and economic consequences. According to the master plan of the project, the report says, Patriata forest land will be leased out to private landowners.