PESHAWAR: (APP) The Wildlife department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa distributed cheques amounting to Rs. 20.2 million among 15 Village Conservation Committees of Chitral as share from Trophy Hunting of Markhor and Ibex.
The ceremony was held at Chitral and Chairman Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan was chief guest on the occasion, said a press release issued here on Monday.
The amount distributed among communities was share of hunting carried out in fiscal year 2013-14 and 2014-15.
Briefing the participants of the ceremony, Chief Conservator Wildlife Department, Syed Mubarik Ali Shah said the Trophy Hunting scheme was introduced in 1998 with the objective of conserving Markhor and Ibex which were endangered species.
At the time when the scheme was launched, the total number of Markhor in Chitral was around 961 which has now swelled to a satisfactory level of around 3973. Similarly, in Kaigah (Kohistan), the number of Markhor was reduced to 360 which has now reached to around 1000 within a few years, he added.
Mubarik Shah said Trophy Hunting is a successful scheme and it should be replicated in conservation of other endangered species.
Under the scheme, he continued, permits are auctioned among foreign hunters for hunting of 10 Markhor and 80 percent of the earning made through the auction is distributed among concerned communities protecting the wild species in their respective area.
The scheme has given positive results both in conservation of the Markhor and in socio-economic uplift of the concerned committees as the share of communities are spent on developmental schemes like construction of schools, water scheme.
Mubarik Shah disclosed that since 1998-99, about 59 Markhors are hunted under the Trophy Hunting Scheme as a result of which a fund of Rs. 270.9 million has been generated.
Out of this amount of Rs. 270.9 million, an amount of Rs. 220.33 million has been distributed among the communities for carrying out welfare and developmental oriented works in their respective areas, he added.
An amount of Rs. 50.8 million has been deposited in national kitty which is 20 percent of the total fund, Chief Conservator went on to say.
Speaking on the occasion, PTI Chairman, Imran Khan said it is our religious and moral responsibility to preserve environment and all species. He said the recent phenomenon of global warming and climate change is the result of irrational use of natural resources.
However, he continued, the conservation efforts by concerned departments have created awareness among masses and people are now giving consideration to this important issue. He said we have to utilize natural resources in prudent manner so that our coming generation could not face problem of environmental degradation.