CHITRAL, March 15: Provincial Minister for Population Welfare Salim Khan has asked the forest department to introduce and provide people with such species of trees in Chitral which help meet the acute shortage of fuel wood.

Addressing a function organised by the forest division in connection with the launch of tree plantation campaign on Thursday, he warned that the fast depleting oak forest in the area would result in horrendous situation in future.

Mr Khan stressed on development of agroforestry in the area by enlisting the active participation of the local communities.

He also eulogised the efforts of Aga Khan Rural Support Programme and other organisations for the promotion of agroforestry and at the same time severely criticised certain other organisations, which according to him, hoodwinked the people. “They have prepared the progress reports claiming development in the social sector but on ground there is nothing,” he pointed out, warning that such a practice would no longer be tolerated.

Chitral DCO Rahmatullah Wazir said the district government with the help of different organisations had distributed 1.9 million saplings among the farmers in different valleys.

He said vigilance committees were being formed to monitor the plantation drives with a view to ensuring responsibility and accountability among all the stakeholders.

Divisional Forest Officer Ahmed Jalil said that during the ongoing campaign plantation will be carried out on 265 acres of land in southern Chitral, while 75,000 saplings will be planted in upper Chitral.