Every inch of government land will be recovered from land grabbers and indiscriminate action will be taken against mischievous elements trying to occupy government land, said Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif while presiding over a high level meeting on Tuesday to discuss a probable operation to recover the land of the Forest Department from land grabbers.
The chief minister directed authorities concerned that besides recovery of the Forest Department’s land, immediate measures should be taken for retrieving the land of provincial government occupied by land grabbers in other cities.
He directed that an indiscriminate operation be launched against the land mafia.
He also ordered stern legal action against wood theft and said that special attention should be paid to protective measures for curbing such activities.
He further directed the department to conduct GIS mapping in order to evolve an authentic data of its land in the province and immediate measures should be taken in this regard with the help of institutions concerned.
He said that tree plantation should be carried out on the land recovered from land mafia besides new trees should be planted in hilly areas as well.
He said that tree plantation will help control environmental pollution besides beautification of environment while new job opportunities will also be created for those associated with forest industry.
He said that besides plantation of new trees, a comprehensive plan should also be evolved for their conservation. He said that tree plantation campaign should be promoted in the province as a mission and assured that he will provide all necessary resources for this purpose.
He also constituted a committee headed by chief secretary and directed that it should present a comprehensive plan within two weeks regarding tree plantation in the province.
The department’s secretary gave a briefing on the steps being taken for retrieving the land from grabbers.
Punjab Assembly acting Speaker Sher Ali Gorchani, Finance Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, Minister for Forests Muhammad Asif Malik, Parliamentary Secretary for Forests Mian Fida Hussain, assembly members Rana Sanaullah, Manshaullah Butt, chief secretary, inspector general of police, Board of Revenue senior member and secretaries concerned attended the meeting.
