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New forest law under preparation : Indus Delta under stress as water not available: SA told
By Zulfiqar Kunbhar
KARACHI: Sindh Assembly (SA) on Monday was informed Indus Delta is under stress and deteriorating due to less receipt of sweet water in kacha area and delta. Shehla Raza Deputy Speaker SA chaired the proceedings.
Issue of water was serious for everyone and we all are concerned, minimum annual sweet water requirement for sustenance of riverien forest is 600,000 cusecs and for survival of Indus Delta one million cusecs is required, which is not available, told parliamentary secretary Nasir Shah to the House.
He said we have informed the federal government that we were requiring 5,000 cusecs of water downstream on daily basis for the survival. He informed new forest law was under preparation and soon it would be presented in the House. Nasir Shah responding during question hour said that uptil now Forest Act 1927 was still in enforcement and fines were being taken accordingly.
He said under existing law there was only fines that were fixed, however in the coming law both punishment and fines have been proposed.
Earlier responding to a question raised by Pakistan Muslim League (F) MPA Nusrat Sehar Abbasi, he said no aerial seeding of Gorakh Hill was being carried out by the Sindh Forest Department. Nasir was responding in absence of minister Forest Giyan Chand.
PPP MPA admitted thousand tress of gugal were destroyed at Tharparkar by injecting poisonous chemical into them by local influential people of the area, the damage occurred to trees in February 2011 in spite of imposition section 144 at different areas of Tharparkar.
Regarding the action, he told the House, “The action was taken on the spot and offenders were caught at the time of offences at sites during the financial year 2010-11. An amount of Rs 43,500 on account of value and compensation were recovered from the various offenders as provided under Section-68 of the Forest Act 1927. Leader of the opposition in Sindh Assembly (SA), Faisal Sabzwari raised the issue regarding the missing cases of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM)’s workers andpresented the lists of missing party workers.
People in plain clothes come in vehicles without number plates and take away our supporters. After that whereabouts of workers remain unknown, Faisal said.
Our five supporters were taken away from Country Garden on Saturday night. Even for a moment if we consider they all are all criminals, this should be informed who have captured them. Their whereabouts should also be brought in our knowledge.
He demanded missing workers should be brought in the court and challan should be presented if there was any case against them. Government should play its role. Government should make it clear whether government was holding these people or not, he said.
Sabzwari said Pakistan Protection Ordinance (PPO) was draconian law. “Taliban are being freed and political activists are being held, he said.
In reply Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon agreed with header of the opposition regarding the PPO’s implementation. He assured House for taking appropriate action in this regard. We would oppose the bill in Senate and reject it. We have the majority there, he said. Sharjeel was of the view governor of Sindh who was representative of federal government should also raise the voice on it.
The SA passed a resolution calling initiate compulsory Vocational Technical training in the Juvenile Jails. It said, This House resolves provincial government initiates compulsory Vocational Technical training in the Juvenile Jails to develop skills among the prisoners and make them useful citizens of Pakistan. Mover of the resolution was MQM MPA Irum Azeem Farooque.
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) MPA Mahesh Kumar Malani tabled the resolution that was passed unanimously. It said “This Assembly condemns the act of Ministry of Health Services and Regulatory Affairs in promulgation of the Ordinance number III of 2014 to dissolve the entire Council of Pakistan Medical and Dental Council. This is against the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Another MPA from PPP Nawab Muhammad Taimur Talpur presented the resolution regarding the illegal outlets from main and branch canals, demanding the immediate removal. This Assembly resolves illegal outlets from main as well as branch canals may be immediately removed and strict action may be taken against both the beneficiaries that were the landowners as well as the irrigation officers found involved, he said. The House approved the resolution unanimously. Later, the Chair adjourned the House to meet again on Tuesday.
Talking to media persons before the session SharjeelInnam Memon said recent wave of target killings was not sectarian based.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk