Daily Times

Sindh had once 0.6 million acres of riverine or Katcha forest and 0.18 million acres of Pakka forest but in 2005, under Sindh Agroforestry Policy, forest land was given to influential feudal lords who cut these forests down, says report.

Sindh’s powerful feudal lords and influential politicians have illegally occupied much of area of forest land owned by Sindh Forest Department and had cut the forest from these areas, due to which Sindh has lost over 50 percent of its total forest cover in last two decades, disclosed a detailed research study conducted by Indus Development Organization (IDO), an organization working on environment.

“There are four types of forests in Sindh including riverine or Katcha forest, Pakka forest, mangroves or coastal forests and rangeland forest, out of which over 50 percent of riverine or Katcha forest and Pakka forest have been cut down by influential people in last two decades, however, coastal forests are intact or have little increased in the same period,” stated the report.

According to the study, there were around 0.6 million acres of riverine or Katcha forest and approximately 0.18 million acres of Pakka forest in the province until 2000, which almost vanished as influential people have illegally occupied the forest land. “At many places due to the lack of official demarcation of land, feudal lords have somehow managed to include forest land into their agriculture fields,” said Zain Daudpoto, the author of the report. Talking to Daily Times, Daudpoto said that in 2005 in the name of Sindh Agroforestry Policy, forest land was illegally given to influential feudal lords and landlords and after getting the land these people started cutting the forest.

Landlords illegally occupied forestry department’s land cutting down ‘Green Gold’

“At many places the forest land was illegally allotted to local landlords as it happened in Khipro Forest of district Sanghar where forest land was allotted to landlords for agriculture purposes and the entire forest disappeared since then and at some places like in Jamshoro and Benazirabad (former Nawabshah) districts the forest land was given for housing scheme, which has also contributed major role in disappearing of the forest in the province,” added Dadupoto.

The report further said that there is over 1.4 million acres of rangeland forest which are actually pasture land, but these forests are also been occupied by the influential people as in Thar Desert and Karachi’s Gadap area.

“Forests are important for the ecology which not only provide oxygen, but also honey, fodder for livestock, therefore, government must consider revival of forests with the help of the community,” demanded Dadupoto.

Published in Daily Times, January 5^th 2019