KARACHI – A number of workers seal small holes in igloo-shaped ovens to ensure that wood filled inside is converted into coal – to be later sent to Karachi for roadside tea-stalls as it is believed the traditional doodh-patti chai (tea) prepared on coal is tastier than one made on natural gas.
Their location is a few kilometres away from the National Highway, where huge piles of chopped wood and coal scatter across a vast area near Mirpur Sakro, Thatta.
With the UN declaring 2011 as the International Year of Forests on the theme ‘forests for people’ dedicated to restoration of forests for combating climatic changes, environmental degradation and natural disasters, massive cutting of indigenous trees in Sindh goes on unabated as it appears that forests belong to those engaged in chopping down trees.
Massive deforestation in different parts of the province is not a new phenomenon, but during the past one decade, the massacre of trees has increased to such a level that many indigenous trees are facing extinction.
Official records reveal that some important native tree species including Babool (Acacia nilotica), Sheesham or Talhi (Dalbergia sissoo), Neem (Azadirachta indica), Jar (Salvadora oleiodes), Lai (Tamarix dioica), Sareenh of Albizia genus and Kandi (Prosopis cineraria) are nearing extinction due to massive logging. In many areas, the Devi (Prosopis juliflora), which was planted in Sindh in early 1970s for fuel wood, has replaced some of the important native tree varieties.
Some environmentalists even suggest that last year’s flood devastated a vast area in Sindh primarily due to cutting down of riverine forests and trees from canals embankments.
In the past, there was huge forest cover along the banks of all major canals of Sukkur Barrage, Guddu Barrage and Kotri Barrage including Main Khair Thar, Dadu, Rice, Nara, Rohri, Khairpur east and west canals, Kotri, Kalri Baghar Feeder, Phuleli, Pinjari and Akram Wah canals.
However, the notorious timber mafia has lent a barren look to the banks of these canals and the Indus River, while destroying the area ecology and depriving fodder to livestock and wildlife. Even several native wildlife species have migrated after deforestation in the province.
The logging mafia has established kilns in almost every district of the province for making coal. The manufactured coal is sold in areas without natural gas connections or hotels in urban areas, where it is used for preparing barbeque and tea.
These igloo-shaped kilns are established along the roadside on almost every major road in the province but no government authority seems to bother about the deforestation.
On contact, Forest Department Secretary Mushtaq Memon refused to comment on the issue.
Sources in the department revealed that the business of the timber mafia is carried out in connivance with government officials.
