PTI Sindh MPA Sajjad Ali Soomro has submitted aresolution in the Sindh Assembly, calling for action against landencroachments on the Forest Department’s property in Sindh. Theresolution was filed with the Secretary of the Sindh Assembly by MPASoomro.In the resolution, Soomro highlighted that vast areas of the SindhForest Department’s land, spanning 2.8 million acres, are under illegaloccupation.
He stressed the importance of planting forests to mitigatethe effects of climate change and environmental degradation.Soomro criticized the Sindh government, stated that, “On one hand, theSindh government announces plans to plant forests, while on the otherhand, encroachments continue on forest lands. Unfortunately, nopractical steps are being taken to plant new forests in Sindh”. “Whilethe world is working on afforestation, existing forests in Sindh arebeing cut down,” he added.
The MPA further pointed out that forest lands in several districts ofSindh have been seized, with standing forests cleared to make way forhousing colonies and agriculture. In Karachi, a significant area ofmangrove forests has been converted into residential and developmentprojects. Soomro emphasized that mangroves play a crucial role inmaintaining the coastal ecosystem and mitigating the negative impacts ofclimate change and natural disasters.
The destruction of these forestshas put Karachi’s environment at serious risk, with recent heatwaves andextreme temperatures resulting in hundreds of deaths.In his resolution, Sajjad Ali Soomro called for immediate action to endencroachments on forest lands in Sindh, effective legislation for forestprotection, and the allocation of time for debate on the resolution inthe assembly.
