JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Special security units would be set up to curb deforestation and land grabbing in eastern Nangarhar province, officials said on Wednesday.
A statement from the Nangarhar provincial media office said the acting governor and deputy agriculture minister had discussed the issue during a meeting.
According to the statement, acting governor of Nangarhar, Maulvi Mudassir (Haji Mullah Sahib) said that special units were being set up to prevent arbitrary deforestation and land grabbing.
Shamsuddin Shariati, head of the delegation and deputy minister of agriculture, said the council of ministers had decided to set up a 50-member green unit to prevent deforestation and a 100-member unit to prevent land grabbing.
He said cutting down trees, smuggling, buying and selling of wood was prohibited, asking owners of dry wood to relocate it within a month from the forest and surrounding areas.
He said a period of two months was given for transportation of dry timber at district and provincial levels, which would be confiscated by the government in case of non-delivery.
The head of the delegation says if wood-cutting machines, electric saws or other tools are seen in and around forests, they will be seized.
Maulvi Nada Mohammad Nadeem, Nangarhar police chief, assured the delegation that he would take legal action in coordination with the concerned agencies to prevent deforestation and land grabbing.
The meeting also discussed issues related to legal use of forests by people, distribution of fruit trees, livestock and other issues related to agriculture.
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