ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority has rolled out a new awareness campaign to sensitize the public about forest fire prevention and chalked out a comprehensive strict plan against individuals setting fires to prevent such mishaps in the future, Shahzad Khalil a member environment to the CDA board said on Wednesday.
Talking to the PTV news channel, he said that the department will arrange various awareness drives, patrolling, coordination committees, and monitoring and will use drone mock exercises to manage the incidents, adding, that we have directed for taking steps to make the act of setting fire to a forest as a non-bailable offense.
`Action will be taken against culprits who start forest fires,` he said.
He urged the public to report any fire incident or witness any individual involved in this heinous act to take the offenders to task.
He said the media has to partner with the government in environmental conservation as without citizens and the media’s role the government was unable to get
information on such serious violations and issues.
While stressing the importance of public awareness in conserving and protecting forests, which are valuable assets for the State, he said that forest fire incidents, mainly during summers, result in the loss of huge forest wealth and damaging wildlife animals.
Forest fires have a detrimental impact on both the ecosystem and the economy, he said, adding, that people should extend full cooperation to the CDA forest department to ensure the success of this campaign.
‘It is also necessary to inform locals about the hazards and threats caused by fires erupting through human interventions as it will help overcome such incidents through awareness”, he mentioned.
Replying to a question, he appealed that every citizen should conserve water and avoid wasting the precious resource, adding, that we requested all citizens to plant at least one tree in every season.