MINGORA, Feb 17: The district Nazim of Swat, Dr Mehboobur Rehman, has asked the authorities to make proper arrangements for the protection of forests in the district.

Speaking at a one-day seminar on environment organized by the Mountain Area Conservancy project at a local hotel here on Monday, the Nazim said that millions of rupees were being spent by the conservancy project for the protection of forests and wildlife, but tress were still ruthlessly cut.

He said that the forests were playing a role like that of oxygen factories.

The Nazim said that the departments concerned should involve members of the national and provincial assemblies from the area in all conservancy projects so that forests could be preserved.

He said the district government with its minimum resources was trying its best to save the natural resources and to serve the people.

The Nazim asked the donor agencies to help the government in supplying Sui gas up to the Kalam Valley, so that people of the area stop cutting trees for domestic use and forests could be saved.