MUZAFFARGARH: Three departments of the Punjab government have sent their teams to probe the wildfire incident in Leshariwala Forest.

On the direction of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, Chief Conservator of Forest Noor Gul, Wildlife Deputy Director Naveed Tariq and district administration reached the Taunsa Barrage to evaluate the losses of wild animals and trees. A probe is under way.

Talking to Dawn, Mr Naveed said the area was called a game sanctuary until 2016 and since then the area was under the irrigation department. He said his team was busy assessing the loss of animals and birds burnt in the fire. He said the fire had caused a big loss to the forest department because millions of trees had been burnt.

Mr Gul, the chief conservator of forest and his team, also reached the Leshariwala Jungle to assess the losses.

A forest official told this correspondent that the 800 acre forest had been under the fire, which had been controlled now but many private property dealers were busy taking down trees from the patch of the jungle to sell them to brick kilns.

Dawn also visited the area and found many camps set up by unidentified people who claimed that they were men of a PTI MPA who had hired them to look after the area on daily wages. The officials said hundreds of acres of land had been cultivated illegally and there was a dispute going on between a PTI MPA and others who were living in the area for many years.

District Wildlife Officer Ms Sidra said three people had been detained by her department for catching and shooting deer and a heavy fine would be imposed on them.

The deputy commissioner said six people had been booked while the teams were busy to probe the matter.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2021