National News

CHITRAL, Oct 18 (APP): A day long workshop on conservation and management of wildlife was held at Mastuj some 110 km from here the other day. The workshop was arranged under the project strengthening conservation and development of wildlife resources in Dir, Swat and Chitral program. Divisional Forest Officer Wildlife Chitral Division, Imtiaz Hussain Lal was chief guest on the occasion while it was presided over by Nooruddin Tehsildar of Mastuj. Addressing the participants of Workshop Hameed Mir, Imtiaz Hussain, Waqas Ahmad Advocate and other experts said that due to pollution in environment, temperature was increasing by 8 degrees globally and in Chitral it increase 1.5 degree which was an alarming signal for the area. They said that due to deforestation and damage of natural resources not only wildlife was affecting badly but it was also causing floods, melting of glaciers and decrease in water resources. They said in Chitral conservation of wildlife was most essential for promoting ecotourism which can attract tourists from world over. They said there was great potential for wildlife in Chitral to flourish as brown bear, Ibex, Kashmir Markhor, snow leopard and other rare species of birds, animals, medicinal plants and forests were in abundance in the area. They said that 542 glaciers of Chitral were melting very fast due to pollution of environment. Women folk of the area also participated in workshop and demanded equal opportunity and role in conservation of wildlife. Group work was also arranged during the workshop in which the participants highlighted issues confronted by wildlife and its possible solution. A local person from Torkho disclosed that due to increasing of awareness among the masses now there were number of Ibex living in their area. He also demanded for hunting trophy in that area.