By Staff Reporter
SITA ROAD: A severe environmental crisis is reportedly unfolding in Dadu district, where widespread deforestation has allegedly continued under the apparent negligence and alleged patronage of the local Forest Department, according to local sources and social activists.
Large tracts of forest land in Sita Road, Sona Buthy, Phulji, and surrounding areas of Dadu have reportedly been cleared, with thousands of acres of centuries-old trees cut down. Sources claim that large-scale illegal logging has been carried out overnight, with valuable timber being smuggled out for profit.
Allegations have also emerged that influential individuals, in collaboration with a timber mafia and certain corrupt elements within the Forest Department, have facilitated the encroachment of state forest land. These groups are accused of illegally occupying vast areas of public forest land and converting them into agricultural fields after clearing the trees.
Social activists estimate that up to 90 percent of forest cover in parts of Dadu and its surroundings may have been destroyed.
The rapid loss of forest cover has reportedly triggered severe environmental changes, including intensified heatwaves, declining groundwater levels, and disrupted rainfall patterns, posing serious risks to local agriculture and livelihoods.
The destruction has also severely impacted wildlife, with habitats of numerous bird and animal species reportedly destroyed, forcing displacement and decline in biodiversity.
