The Ghazi Ghat jungle is rapidly losing its geographical features, thanks to grabbers, encroachers, timber thieves and last but not the least, the government itself as a Danish School, the brainchild of the incumbent chief minister, is likely to be constructed on a chunk of land gradually ‘snatched’ from the jungle.
The vanishing jungle spreading over 2,100 acres on the eastern bank of the River Indus was once considered the `darkest’ place in this district owing to its thick plantation.
Gangs of alleged criminals preferred making it their haven. The secret abodes also helped the gangsters precisely execute ‘jungle warfare’ against any possible invasion, mainly by the personnel of police or other law-enforcement agencies, in hot pursuits.
There are four jungles in this district which are under the control of the Punjab Forestry Department. The Essanwala jungle spreads over 7,072 acres, Ghazi Ghat 2,106, Ahmed Mohana 2,306 and Bait Sohni 698 acres.
Though the government announces plantation drive twice a year, not even a single sapling is planted in the fast shrinking Ghazi Ghat jungle over the years.
Rather, the existing trees are being chopped down one after the other, giving the once most shadowy place in this district a ‘bald’ look.
The environmental degradation owing to cutting of trees is yet another factor being perpetually overlooked by the government agencies responsible for preserving the forests. A lot of wildlife has lost its natural habitat and warnings of eco-warriors are going unheeded.
According to forestry parameters, plantation of around 725 trees per acre is requisite to give that piece of land status of a jungle.
But, during a recent visit to the jungle, this correspondent found that this 2,106-acre jungle did not have roughly 2,100 trees in toto and has turned into a terrain dotted with scattered farms and settlements.
The vanishing jungle spreading over 2,100 acres on the eastern bank of the River Indus was once considered the `darkest’ place in this district owing to its thick plantation.
Gangs of alleged criminals preferred making it their haven. The secret abodes also helped the gangsters precisely execute ‘jungle warfare’ against any possible invasion, mainly by the personnel of police or other law-enforcement agencies, in hot pursuits.
There are four jungles in this district which are under the control of the Punjab Forestry Department. The Essanwala jungle spreads over 7,072 acres, Ghazi Ghat 2,106, Ahmed Mohana 2,306 and Bait Sohni 698 acres.
Though the government announces plantation drive twice a year, not even a single sapling is planted in the fast shrinking Ghazi Ghat jungle over the years.
Rather, the existing trees are being chopped down one after the other, giving the once most shadowy place in this district a ‘bald’ look.
The environmental degradation owing to cutting of trees is yet another factor being perpetually overlooked by the government agencies responsible for preserving the forests. A lot of wildlife has lost its natural habitat and warnings of eco-warriors are going unheeded.
According to forestry parameters, plantation of around 725 trees per acre is requisite to give that piece of land status of a jungle.
But, during a recent visit to the jungle, this correspondent found that this 2,106-acre jungle did not have roughly 2,100 trees in toto and has turned into a terrain dotted with scattered farms and settlements.
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