Unknown individuals axing down trees in Nangarhar, allege residents

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Unidentified people are axing down forest’s trees during night in the Naziyan district of eastern Nangarhar province, residents claimed.

On the other hand, local officials say they have set up a special unit to prevent arbitrary deforestation.

According to the officials, some people have also been arrested in connection with cutting down the trees in the Naziyan district, but a manhunt for arresting the main perpetrators was underway.

Ulfatullah Mohibzai, a civil activist and resident of Naziyan, told Pajhwok Afghan News that for the past several days, unknown people were axing down the trees of forest during night, taking advantage of darkness.

He said: “The forest are the national wealth and deforestation is illegal and not allowed and the practice should be prevented.”

Hundreds of forest’s trees had been cut down and more threes also faced by the threat to be axed down if no step was taken against the violators, Mohibzai warned.

Malik Sayed Abdul Hakim, another resident of the district and a tribal elder, asked the security forces and agriculture department to prevent such illegal activities.

He said: “We call upon the government to stop deforestation because the forests are national wealth and no one reserve the right to cut them down.”

Maulvi Shirin Agha Badr, chief of the special green unit, said they had arrested some suspects in the district in connection with cutting down the trees.

Badr added: “Our personnel reached the area and detained some individuals but they did not confess to their crimes, however, a manhunt launched to capture the real perpetrators.”

aw/sa