Margalla Hills facing serious threat due to encroachments, Senate body told

The Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change on Friday visited Trail-5 of the Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) under the leadership of Chairperson Committee Senator Seemme Ezdi to mark World Wildlife Day and observe the biodiversity conservation efforts made by the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB). On the occasion, IWMB Chairperson Rina Saeed Khan briefed the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change. Khan informed that the national park was facing serious threats due to rising encroachments within the protected area. “The encroachments’ case was under trial at the Islamabad High Court. Moreover, the Monal and La Montana restaurants’ status remained illegal because they were only allowed to set up a food stall,R21; she added. She added that IWMB did not have the legal power to fine poachers and other culprits as it fined people through the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the district administration. “Some Rs 140,000 fine had been imposed in the last six months on poachers by the IWMB officials. There has been no poaching in Margalla Hills National Park since last 6 months,R21; she added. The IWMB chair further told the Committee that the monkey show was banned in the federal capital that provided protection to monkeys. She added that the bear show had also reduced. A fine of over Rs 0.2 million was imposed in a year for illegal cutting of wood within the national park whereas a team of IWMB was ensuring full patrolling in the protected area, she added. The Board chair urged the committed that the IWMB should be legally empowered to allow the Wildlife Management Board officials to fine on violations. She informed that the Board had forty staff members that were making efforts to ensure no littering on the trails and conserving wildlife. She informed that the Trail-5 was surrounded by dense forest, adding, “We are monitoring everything in the national park that helped stop deforestation whereas action is being taken against illegal tree cutters alongwith a special monitoring being done towards Rawal Lake and Shakarpariyan.” The Committee was informed that forest fire season was starting and the IWMB was facing shortage of fire extinguishers. “Last year, due to heat wave, there were several incidents of forest fires as the heat wave started in March. During fire in the forest area IWMB team alongwith CDA and provincial governments took immediate action,R21; she added. In 2021, 189.042 acres of area were damaged by fire whereas the forest fire incidents had declined in 2022, she said. Chairperson Committee, Seemee Ezidi on the occasion told media that the only Islamabad Zoo was closed and the animals that were being rescued were now rehabilitated there at the wildlife rehabilitation center of the IWMB. She added that the people education and awareness on animal and wildlife protection as kill them. A mynah bird who was just released back in the wild was also caught injured and rehabilitated by the IWMB. Senator Ezdi said the Trail-6 was also visited by the Committee which was also a nature and biodiversity-rich preserved zone. “The animals sleep during the day. If you don’t bother the animals, they won’t bother you either. The people are requested to not visit the trails after sunset,R21; she added. The Chairperson mentioned that Markhor, the national animal of the country was also declared an endangered species in 2015. She underlined that foreigners coming for hunting wild goats from abroad should also be discouraged as biodiversity had to be protected. Senator, Mohammad Humayun Mohmand said the IWMB should file a petition in the Supreme Court to ban keeping dangerous animals in the house. He queried that the leopard that came to DHA was a pet or not. The Chairperson IWMB informed him that the leopard in the DHA case was not a pet, but a wild animal. The DHA’s leopard was healthy and has been released into the wild whereas the residents of the society had fired 35 shots at the leopard, officials said, she told the Senator. Senator Mohmand queried, “Where did this wild leopard come from in the middle of the city?” The IWMB officials briefed that perhaps the leopard was a wild animal being shifted to somewhere and had run away from custody. “Either he was in someone’s custody, he ran away or he reached there by passing along the bank of the drain,” they replied.