Director General Wildlife announces measures to prevent the Urialis

Lahore: Director General Wildlife and Parks Khalid Ayaz Khan has said that Urialis the distinctiveness of Punjab province and to prevent its species, as well as department, Community Based Organizations (CBOs) also have to play more active role. He said that protection and safety of Urialand to prevent poaching, CBOs are fully authorized to take action against illegal hunters and Wildlife Department is providing full cooperation and assistance to the CBOs in this regard.

He expressed these views while speaking at Urial Community Based Organization’s convention at Kallar Kahar. Chief Game Warden Punjab, Shah Rukh Butt,Nawab of Kala Bagh Malik Abdul Hameed, High ranking officers of the department and presidents and office bearers of all four CBOs and notables were also present on this occasion.

Khalid Ayaz Khan said the main cause of convention is to secure the wildlife and to raise a platform for CBOs where they can share their problems about conservation and to find solutions.

Khalid Ayaz Khan said that conservation of wildlife is the duty of the department and in this context modern training program is being launched for wildlife watchers. He said all CBOs to provide lists of their own watchers so that they can perform their duties more efficiently and effectively after imparting training on modern lines. He said that priority will be given to foreigners for trophy hunting and in case trophies left, then opportunity will be extended to local hunters.

Director General Wildlife, on concerns of the Urial CBOs representatives’, assured them that amendments would be made in laws of CBOs about hiring and firing right would be given to CBOs.  He said that deforestation and animals grazing in the region of CBO would be banned after approval of recommendations so that sanctuary of wildlife could not be harmed. He said that such areas where Urial CBOs are working and availability of other species like partridge etc. found, no other CBO will be registered and existing will be entrusted with the responsibility to protect them.

Khalid Ayyaz Khan said that in 2005, the number of Urial was less than 500 in the area and then locals and CBOs participated in the process of their conservation and now their number has been enhanced upto 2500 which is a good omen.  He directed the presidents and other office bearers of CBOs to conduct annual survey and report them about the number of Urial in their region so that number could be checked and reported to high ups after third-party check.

Earlier, Western Jhelum Urial CBO, Wildlife Lovers CBO, Kallar Kahar CBO and Kala Bagh CBO‘s presidents gave presentation about their CBOs and present details of payments of trophy hunting which they spent on public and community welfare of their concerned areas.