The civil administration of district Islamabad has enforced a ban on a wide range of activities and items in Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) to avoid forest fires and conserve the environment.
According to the official notification, the ban comes into effect immediately and will remain in place for two months. During this period, BBQs and bonfires will be prohibited in the MHNP.
Smoking, burning and littering of garbage/plastic, carrying flammable items such as lighters, charcoal, matchsticks, bottles of petrol/kerosene oil, and cutting of trees have also been banned in the MHNP.
Violators will face criminal proceedings in the Court of Magistrate under the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898, the notification added. Islamabad’s administration has ordered the publication of this order in the Official Gazette and in local newspapers as well.
Last year, Islamabad’s administration had also enforced a ban on all sorts of recreational activities in MHNP to avoid forest fires in the protected area.
The decision was taken after the Ministry of Climate Change, Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB), and Capital Development Authority (CDA) Environment Wing complained to the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Islamabad that recreational activities by visitors led to wildfires in MHNP.
Bery good.