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PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLY OF SINDH
FOREST DEPARTMENT
LIST OF STARRED ASSEMBLY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FOR
FRIDAY THE 07TH FEBRUARY, 2014.
*01. MS. NUSRAT SEHER ABBASI: Will the Minister for Forest be pleased to state:-
District-wise number of acres of forest land destroyed of floods 2010?
ANSWER
MR. GAYAN CHAND, Minister for Forest:
As a result of floods 2010 and heavy rains, no substantial forest area has been destroyed, only 2, 3 years age young/tendered forest crops planted over 21, 246 acres were affected partially. The district wise details are given below:-
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S. No.
|
District
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Forest land destroyed (in acres)
|
|
1.
|
Thatta
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7,000
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|
2.
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Tando Muhammad Khan
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1,700
|
|
3.
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Shaheed Benazirabad
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1,348
|
|
4.
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Naushahro Feroze
|
936
|
|
5.
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Matiari
|
885
|
|
6.
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Dadu
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570
|
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7.
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Jamshoro
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1,560
|
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8.
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Shikarpur
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940
|
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9.
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Kandhkot
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1,100
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|
10.
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Larkana
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2,967
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|
11.
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Khairpur
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123
|
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12.
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Sukkur
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1,026
|
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13.
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Ghotki
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1,046
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14.
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Hyderabad
|
45
|
|
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Total
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21,246
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However, availing the opportunity of flood 2010, Babul seeds were broadcasted/regenerated over 60,000 acres in forests of Sindh besides the riverine forests of Sindh and mangroves were the main beneficiaries of the super flood 2010 received after a dry spell of about 10 years.
*02. MS. NUSRAT SEHER ABBASI: Will the Minister for Forest be pleased to state:-
(a) Is it a fact that the drip irrigation and solar pumps are being used by the Aforestation, Division Dadu;
(b) If answer to (a) above be in the affirmative, the details thereof including the cost of the scheme and area covered?
ANSWER
MR. GAYAN CHAND, Minister for Forest:
(a) Yes, it is a fact that drip irrigation and solar pumps are being used by the Afforestation Division Dadu under the development scheme titled “Sustainable land management to combat desertification in arid areas of Sindh with the participation of civil societies.”
(b) The total approved cost of the scheme was Rs. 88.446 million. Out of this an amount of Rs. 12.600 million and Rs. 21.800 million were kept for drip irrigation over 200 acres and installation of 34 numbers solar pumps respectively.
The above mentioned scheme was approved for a period of two years (2009-10 to 2010-11) and executed in Tharparkar, Kachho areas of Dadu and Chotiari area of Sanghar district.
An area of 199 acres was planted under drip irrigation and 19 numbers solar pumps installed in the above district under this scheme.
*03. MS. NUSRAT SEHER ABBASI: Will the Minister for Forest be pleased to state:-
(a) Is it a fact that the mis-appropriation on large scale has been made in amount in aid provided by the World Bank in various districts for the establishment of nursery projects;
(b) If answer to (a) above is a affirmative, the details thereof alongwith the officials/officers involved in it?
ANSWER
MR. GAYAN CHAND, Minister for Forest:
(a) No, it is not correct that mis-appropriation has been made in the amount of aid provided, but the fact is that no allotment of funds have been made by the World Bank in any district under any forestry project.
(b) Nil.
*339. MS. SAIRA SHAHLIANI: Will the Minister for Forest be pleased to state:-
According to international law, how much land should be consist on forest, and how much forest Sindh has?
ANSWER
MR. GAYAN CHAND, Minister for Forest:
According to FAO Forest Resource Assessment 2010, the minimum land area recommended for forest cover to maintain proper ecological balance it 25%.
Sindh province having a population of about 55.24 million, occupies land area of 14.091 million hectares. Out of above total area of 14.091 million hectares, an area of 1.125 million hectares is under the control of Sindh Forest Department, which is 8% of the total area of the province. However, out of this total Riverine forests and Irrigation Plantations which are categorized as productive forests cover only 2.29% area, clearly indicating that the province is deficient in forestry resources. The remaining area under the control of Forest Department consists of Mangrove forests and rangelands, which are classified as protective forests. The details of both productive and protective categories of forests are as follows:-
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Category
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Type
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Area
(Million hact.)
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% of total land area of Sindh
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Productive forests
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Riverine Forests
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0.241
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1.71
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Irrigation Plantations
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0.082
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0.58
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Mangroves
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0.345
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2.45
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Protective forests
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Rangelands
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0.457
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3.25
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Total
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1.125
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8.00
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*411. MS. HEER SOHO: Will the Minister for Forest be pleased to state:-
(a) Steps taken/being taken for the improvement of Indus Delta Mangroves;
(b) Area in acres and location in the province on which Indus Delta Mangroves consist?
ANSWER
MR. GAYAN CHAND, Minister for Forest:
(a) For improvement of Indus delta mangroves, Sindh Forest Department has launched various development schemes since last 20 years and an area of 197,680 acres has been planted so far. Currently, two development projects are under execution under which 130,963 acres will be planted up to 2017-18.
(b) Mangrove forests covering an area of about 1,482,000 acres (600,000 hectares) constitute an important ecosystem in the coastal deltaic region formed by the River Indus. Indus delta mangroves are perhaps unique in being the largest arid climate mangroves in the world. They are almost wholly dependent upon freshwater discharges from the River Indus and a small quantity of freshwater from domestic and industrial effluents of Karachi.
The Indus delta mangroves are under the control of different organizations, which are as follows:-
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Sindh Forest Department
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693,000 acres
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Protected forests
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Port Qasim Authority
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159,000 acres
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--do--
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Sindh Board of Revenue
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630,000 acres
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--do--
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Total
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1,482,000 acres
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According to latest SUPARCO reports, an area of 264,397 acres is under stocked mangroves and their location is in entire Indus delta from Karachi to Shah Bunder. Sindh Forest Department has also planted 197,680 acres in Shah Bunder, Keti Bunder and near Port Qasim area in Indus delta.
*443. MS. HEER SOHO: Will the Minister for Forest be pleased to state:-
(a) Is it a fact that the work of plantation on both sides of K.B Feeder, Phuleli, Pinjari canal and Kotri barrage is in progress;
(b) If answer to (a) above be in the affirmative, since when the same is continue and when it will be completed?
ANSWER
MR. GAYAN CHAND, Minister for Forest:
(a) The plantation on both sides of K.B Feeder, Phueli and Pinyari canals of Kotri barrage irrigation system has been carried out under the development scheme titled “Canalside Plantation over KB Feeder, Phuleli & Pinyari Canals of Kotri Barrage Irrigation System” for a period of five years i.e. 2008-09 to 2012-13.
(b) The plantation work under the abovementioned development scheme has been carried out over 600 Km and total amount spent on canal side plantation is Rs 10.800 million. The scheme has been completed on 30.06.2013.
*444. MS. HEER SOHO: Will the Minister for Forest be pleased to state:-
(a) Is it a fact that the work of plantation on both sides of canals of Thatta, Badin, Hyderabad and Tando Muhammad Khan is going on;
(b) If answer to (a) above be in the affirmative, the amount allocated for the same?
ANSWER
MR. GAYAN CHAND, Minister for Forest:
(a) Yes, the work of plantation on both sides of various canals of Thatta, Badin, Hyderabad and Tando Mohammad Khan districts has been carried out as follows:
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S. No.
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Name of Scheme
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Physical
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Financial
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1.
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Canalside Plantation over KB Feeder, Phuleli & Pinyari Canals of Kotri Barrage Irrigation System
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600 Km
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89.413 million
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2.
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Tree planting in Badin district
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50 Km
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8.646 million
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Total
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650 Km
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98.059 million
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(b) The amount incurred on the abovementioned plantation is Rs. 98.059 million.
*534. MS. BILQUEES MUKHTAR: Will the Minister for Forest be pleased to state:-
Number of forests existing throughout Sindh along with the steps taken by the government to protect the animals found in the same?
ANSWER
MR. GAYAN CHAND, Minister for Forest:
Category-wise number of state forests existing throughout Sindh are as under:-
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Sr. No.
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Category
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Number of Forests
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1.
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Riverine Forests
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174
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2.
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Irrigation Plantations
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111
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3.
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Rangelands
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64
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4.
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Resume Lands
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12
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5.
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Mangrove Forests
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13
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Total
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374
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Forest Department has taken various steps for promotion, conservation, reforestation, afforestation and regeneration in state owned forests to save these fragile ecosystems. Apart from above, following three forests have been managed as safari parks:
1. Pai forest.
2. Booharki forest.
3. Sarhad forest.
*535. MS. BILQUEES MUKHTAR: Will the Minister for Forest be pleased to state:-
(a) Is it a fact that there are some forests in Sindh where entertainment is being provided to the public;
(b) If answer to (a) above be in the affirmative, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MR. GAYAN CHAND, Minister for Forest:
(a) Yes, there are two forests i.e. Sarhad in district Ghotki and Pai in district Shaheed Benazirabad in the province of Sindh wherein entertainment is being provided to the public.
(b) The detail are as under:
The habitat in Sarhad forest has been developed by Sindh Forest Department; whereas the habitat in Pai forest has been developed by the joint efforts of Sindh Forest Department and World Wildlife Fund for Conservation of Nature (WWF). Moreover, restoration and conservation of biodiversity with sustainable ecosystem management and maintain sound population of key wildlife species along with their habitats is being provided Booharki forest of district Badin.
In these forests, protection, conservation and development of native bio-diversity of the province is being carried out. The facilities provided for public entertainment are as under:-
Ø Guided tours to watch wildlife such as Hog Deer, Black Partridges and Black Bucks, Blue Bull, Pea Fowl (White) and Grey Partridges.
Ø Guided tour to visit the wood (forest) of various species such as Shisham and Neem.
Ø Scenic beauty view from watch towers.
Ø Lodging and boarding.
Besides, a development scheme titled “Establishment and management of the network of biodiversity parks in Sindh” has been included in the current year’s ADP to create more of such biodiversity resources.
*862. MR. MUHAMMAD RAFIQUE BANBHAN: Will the Minister for Forest be pleased to state:-
(a) Is it a fact that any income is accrued to Sindh government from Forest department;
(b) If answer to (a) above is affirmative, the head-wise income accrued during 2008 to 2013?
ANSWER
MR. GAYAN CHAND, Minister for Forest:
(a) Yes, it is a fact that income is accrued to Sindh Government from Forest Department.
(b) The Head wise income accrued by the Sindh Forest Department during 2008 to 2013 is at Annexure, placed on the table of the House.
Karachi:- G. M. Umar Farooq
the 06th February, 2014. Secretary
Provincial Assembly of Sindh.
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