SUKKUR, March 1: The National Accountability Bureau has initiated a probe against the Sindh forest department’s authorities for their alleged corruption in the Sindh Forestry Development Project, Dawn learnt through reliable sources.

The charges of corruption in the project, assisted by the Asian Development Bank, have been appearing in the national press from time to time but no inquiry into the matter had been initiated due to influence of officers involved. The matter was then reported to the NAB, Sindh, which decided to initiate the probe.

More than Rs1,100 million has been spent under this project and the forest department had decided that it would be run on self-finance basis after completion.

The department had also resolved that the loan, along with interest, would be repaid to the bank from the revenue earned.

It had estimated that with the implementation of this project, the existing vegetative cover would increase from 50 per cent to 70 per cent.