Khyber Pakthunkhwa Government has approved a mega project worth Rs1.444 billion for conservation, protection and management of wildlife in all seven merged tribal districts and practical work on its various components would formally begin after announcement of provincial budget 2012-22.
\nOfficials in KP Wildlife Department told APP on Thursday that a mega \u201cIntegrated Development Forestry Project (IDFP) worth Rs1.444 million has been approved by KP Government under Accelerated Implementation Program (AIP 2020-21) for protection, breedings and up-keeping of an endangered wildlife in semi-natural conditions.
\nThe official said a vast unutilized land available in South Waziristan, North Waziristan, Kurram, Bajaur, Khyber, Orakzai and Mohmand tribal districts would be utilized for establishment of wildlife parks, game reserves and breeding centres on modern lines.
\nUnder the three years project, Rs 123.775 million would be spent on establishment of protected areas for wildlife conservation and development works in merged tribal districts. Similarly, Rs50.135 million would be spent for purchase of machinery and equipment to strengthen wildlife there.
\nSpecial focus would be made on development, education and wildlife awareness programs of tribal people which Rs43.040 million would be spent. Likewise, Rs71.050 million were allocated for pay and allowances for the newly recruiting officers and staff of the wildlife in merged areas.
\nWhile confirming approval of the mega wildlife project for merged areas, Chief Conservator Wildlife Department, Dr Mohsin Farooq told APP that 653 new posts approved for wildlife department by KP Government department to strengthen conservation, breeding and protection programs in the seven merged tribal districts.
\nWith assistance of Zoological Survey of Pakistan, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Pakistan Museum of Natural History, Islamabad, he said KP Wildlife Department would launch an inclusive survey for estimation of wildlife and scientific management of wild species in merged areas.
\nHe said sports hunting was regulated to stabilize partridges\u2019 population in selected game reserves and permit fee enhanced from Rs3,000 to Rs5,000 per permit. The revenue of Markhor trophy hunting programme was also enhanced from US$351,300 to US$512,500 in a bid to protect this national animal of Pakistan.
\nThe Chief Conservator Wildlife said KP Government was taking lead role in implementation of the Prime Minister\u2019s vision after his announcement regarding establishment of 15 national parks including nine new in all provinces under \u2018Protective Area Initiative\u2019, adding it was a landmark initiative that would help strengthen wildlife in Pakistan.
\nAs a result of Government prudent policies to bolster green sector, he said protected areas of wildlife had been enhanced to 14.23pc of total land in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and efforts would be made to increase it up to 20pc by 2023 after inclusion of merged areas.
\nFive national wildlife parks were being established at Kumrat, Ansoo Lake, Satara Nand in Mansehra and Palas Kohistan. Similarly, six national parks have already been established including Saiful Malook and Lalusir in Mansehra, Nathiagali and Ayubia in Abbottabad and Chitral Gol in Chitral besides eight wildlife parks, nine pheasantries and 15 breeding enclosures in KP. Two new community managed game reserves and cheer pheasants center were rehabilitated in Manshera district.
\nGulzar Rehman, Forest Department\u2019s Conservator South told APP that frequency of the migratory birds including houbara bustard, Russian Doves, ducks and cranes were enhanced to Pakistan from Central Asian Republics due to increase of their favourate flora following an increased of forests in wake of billion treess afforstration project.
\n\u201cOver 10 new jungles including mega Ghari Chandan and Azakhels forests near Peshawar raised under BTAP had created breeding grounds for wildlife including falcons, bears, houbara, cranes, bears, common leopard, dove, ducks, monkeys, foxes, wolves, jackals, pigeons, pheasants Monal, Koklas, Kaleej, Tragopan, black & grey partridges and national bird Chakor to thrive.\u201d
\nTerming 10 BTAP is an important initiative in green sector especially for wildlife and environment perspective, the official said beekeeping sector has also achieved upward growth in recent years after enhancement of bees-flora plants in KP.
\nUnder Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) Project, he said a survey of indigenous pheasants and animals besides Grey Langur money was conducted that revealed a substantial increase in numbers of leopards, bears, gorals, monkeys, pheasants, partridges and birds in forests of Hazara Division.
\nDr Mohsin Farooq said noose around illegal hunters and poachers were tightened in KP and about 65 Demoisell cranes were seized at Daraban checkpost on March 25 last. Besides raising state of the art zoo in Peshawar, he said check-post in KP including merged areas were increased to foil bids of wildlife smuggling.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Khyber Pakthunkhwa Government has approved a mega project worth Rs1.444 billion for conservation, protection and management of wildlife in all seven merged tribal districts and practical work on its various components would formally begin after announcement of provincial budget 2012-22. Officials in KP Wildlife Department told APP on Thursday that a mega \u201cIntegrated Development Forestry […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-194481","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-peshawar"],"yoast_head":"\n