Following the ban on deforestation in the country, authorities in Paktia province have reported the arrest of 9 individuals in connection with illegal logging in the region.
Abdul Hadi Hidayat, the head of the Environmental Protection Department in Paktia, stated that these individuals were arrested in the Wazi Zadran district.
According to local authorities, the 9 individuals were apprehended by officials while cutting down trees with their own tools.
These arrests come after Baz Mohammad Faizan, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, announced during his visit to Paktia that deforestation is now banned in Afghanistan, and no one has the right to cut down trees.
The ban on logging has been implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, especially as the price of firewood has risen in the country with the onset of the cold season.
At the same time, some residents of the capital have called on the government to reduce the price of firewood due to economic hardships.
It is worth noting that Afghanistan, due to its dry climate, generally lacks widespread forest cover. However, certain areas of the country, especially those with a more favorable climate, have extensive tree cover.
Large areas of the eastern provinces, including Khost, Paktia, Paktika, Nangarhar, Kunar, and Nuristan, are covered with non-fruit-bearing forests. Similarly, the northern and northwestern provinces, including Takhar, Kunduz, Samangan, Jowzjan, Balkh, Faryab, Badghis, and parts of northeastern Herat, have vast areas of fruit-bearing forests, such as pistachio and wild almond trees.
This initiative by the Ministry of Agriculture reflects the growing concern about deforestation and its environmental consequences. The increasing price of firewood, however, highlights the difficult balance between conservation efforts and the needs of the population.
Continued monitoring and enforcement of this logging ban will be essential to protect Afghanistan’s forest resources and prevent further environmental degradation. Moreover, addressing the rising cost of firewood and providing alternative sources of energy could alleviate some of the challenges faced by residents, especially in the winter season.
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