Lal Sohanra National Park

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Lal Sohanra National Park

Lal Sohanra Park: where the law of the jungle prevails

By Majeed Gill

Dawn

Lal Sohanra National Park

ONCE known for beggar description, the Lal Sohanra National Park has lost its magnetism, scenic beauty and international identity after its lake dried up a couple of years back. Established in 1972 with the nod of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the park’s sole objective was to promote breeding of wildlife, particularly black bucks, for which the help from international donors was also sought.

Only one of its kind in the world, the park has a unique distinction of having three components like desert, green land (forest) and wetland (lake) together at one place. Its Ladamsar lake or fish pond covers an area of 4,780 acres. Rich in variety of fish, the department would earn handsome money with the annual contract of the lake. Adding to the beauty of the lake were the migratory birds that used to flock here from Siberia. The natural habitat of thousands of birds has long been vanished with the deserting of the lake.

The lake would feed through nearby Canal RD-44 on the orders of the governor. In 1997, the irrigation department had discontinued the water supply and that resulted in the extermination of lake’s all the fish variety. The park officials made several attempts to get the water supply restored, but to no avail. The irrigation officials always responded with the reply that the surplus water once supplied to the lake was no more available.

It is learnt that influential landlords and ex-servicemen had piled up pressure on the irrigation department to supply canal water for their newly-allotted lands in the surroundings of the park.

The irrigation department had to succumb to their demand at the cost of wildlife and aquatic life. Since the lake has been devoid of aquatic life, animals can be seen grazing in the large pond. Besides, there are complaints of illegal slaughtering of trees in the park.

District Forest Officer Muhammad Siddique Dogar said that landlords were not allowing the department to supply water to the lake. He said the shortage of staff and forest rangers was the main hurdle in the way of effective supervision of trees being chopped off illegally. Only 16 foresters were on the payroll against the sanctioned posts of 35, he said.

Although vehicles were available for patrolling, the government was not providing adequate fuel so as to keep an effective check on wrongdoings, he said. After 1972, neither any recruitment was made nor any negligent employee was sacked for they used political pressure to intact their jobs, he said.