The Khyber Pakthunkhwa government has decided to set up a fish hatchery at Tarbela Dam to meet high demands of meat and protect the endangered species. "The hatchery will be set up over 100 kanal land aimed at bolstering the fishery sector in Khyber Pakthunkhwa," Environment Minister KPK, Wajid Ali Khan said in a statement on Sunday.
The government has given preference to those sectors and areas, which were neglected in the past, he said, adding new projects have been proposed for afforestation in different areas of the province. The projects related to urban forestry, management of degraded range resources, expansion of non timber forests produces, conservation and propagation of wildlife and management of aquatic resources would be given priority in the fiscal year 2011-12, he maintained.
In addition to establishment of nurseries over 50 acres land, he said, linear plantation will be carried out over 500 kilometres besides direct sowing over 550 acres. Likewise, 8000 acres area would be brought under rangeland management. The government has allocated Rs 792 million for 61 forestry projects including 50 ongoing and 11 new, the Minister informed.