Deforestation to have worst impacts on environment: Saboor Kakar
Matiullah Khan :
Secretary Environment Balochistan, Saboor Kakar has said that deforestation will have the worst impacts on the environment. Deforestation is also one of the underlying reasons behind less rainfall, Mr. Kakar told a seminar organized by the Forest and Wildlife Department Balochistan on Monday.
Secretary Forest and Wildlife, Siddique Khan Mandokhail while addressing the multi-stakeholders seminar urged for maximum plantation to mitigate the impacts of global warming and climate change. Additional Secretary Environment, Jehangir Khan Kakar, Niaz Khan Kakar, the Focal Person RED+, and other experts also spoke at length about global warming.
Speakers discussed natural disasters
The speakers thoroughly discussed natural disasters including drought, floods, earthquakes, etc during the seminar. They also called for the implementation of environmental laws to make sure an end to deforestation and maximum plantation in this regard.
Saboor Kakar underlined the need for creating awareness among the masses with regard to deforestation in the province and country. “We have to go out of offices and reach common man”, Mr. Kakar suggested.
Siddique Mandokhail emphasized the need for convincing the people to launch commercial forestry to ensure maximum plantation and mitigate the impacts of global warming and climate change.
Deforestation is also one of the reasons behind less rainfallÂ
Addressing the participants, Niaz Khan Kakar noted that deforestation was also the main reason behind less rainfall. Across Pakistan, green areas are being turned into deserts because of the impacts of global warming.
Officials from agriculture, mines, livestock, coastal development authority, public health engineering, academia, intelligentsia, journalists, and others participated in the multi-stakeholders seminar. The seminar was aimed at developing consensus and prepare recommendations for forest action plans to preserve forests in Balochistan, which covers half of the country in terms of area.
Provincial plans would be followed by a national action plan to mitigate the impacts of climate change and global warming. The Federal Climate Change Ministry has taken this initiative in collaboration with the World Bank.