ABBOTTABAD, Feb 24: Forest owners of Battagram district have demanded of the government for early start of the foreign-funded “red plus project”, which aims at protecting and increasing forests.

The demand was raised by the forest owners of Battagram Nawabzada Mohammad Ayaz Rustm, Jehanzeb Khan advocate, Mohammad Asif Khan, Kashif Irshad and others while addressing a news conference at the press club here on Friday.

It is to mention here that the Murlan Wood Organisation had decided to launch project of 16 millions pound in Battagram, Swat and Mansehra districts for protecting forests and improving basic amenities especially agriculture, health, education and communication facilities.

According to the initial plan, the company will also pay out the forest owners and small Guzarajat of forests and create jobs and other facilities for the local people.

The forest owners said Azad Kashmir government had also entered into such an agreement and work on the project had already been started there but in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa an agreement to this effect was signed one and a half years ago but the project could not be started as yet.

They added that a foreign NGO was interested to run such kind of projects in Abbottabad and Haripur but due to delaying tactics by some hidden hands in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, KP was losing golden opportunity to protect and increase its forests. They said the company had also planned to distribute and install solar energy units with provision of LPG gas cylinder which will be a major attempt to save the forests.

PROMOTION: Divisional promotion committee of Hazara police has approved the promotion of 86 police officers. This was decided at a meeting chaired by DIG Hazara Dr Naeem on Thursday.

Forty-three assistant sub inspectors were promoted to the rank of inspector while 43 head constables were upgraded to post of ASI.

The meeting was attended by DPO Haripur Mohammad Ali Khan Gandapur, DPO Abbottabad Karim Khan, DPO Battagram Ghulam Hussain and DSP headquarters Ali Zia. Posting and transfers orders of the newly promoted officers were also issued.