Makhniyal
Makhniyal
مکھنیال | |
|---|---|
Village | |
  Makhniyal Location in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa  Makhniyal Location in Pakistan | |
| Coordinates: 33°49′14″N 73°07′59″E / 33.82056°N 73.13306°E | |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Province | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
| District | Haripur |
Makhniyal (Urdu: مکھنیال) is a village located in the Haripur District[1] of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. It is situated about 15 kilometers southeast of the city of Haripur, and is part of the Khanpur union council. It is located about 30 kilometers from Islamabad.
The village is known for its natural environment and forest area. The Makhniyal Ridge Trail located nearby offers a hike through the Margalla Hills.
Forest[edit]
The Makhniyal Forest area is among the three forest ranges that cover a total of 495,265 acres (2,004.27 km2) in the Haripur District.[2] Notably, the inauguration of the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Billion Tree Tsunami project took place within the Makhniyal Forest on 21 February 2015 by the symbolized planting of its inaugural sapling by Imran Khan.[3] On 2 September 2018, this location also witnessed the planting of the first sapling for the federal government's Ten Billion Tree Tsunami project.[4][5]
In recent years, the forest land is under threat from illegal construction activities and tree felling. Official documents in 2021 estimated that about 38.92 acres (15.75 ha) of the forest covered area had been illegally occupied by land developers. Moreover, wildfires have also damaged the natural environment of the area.[6][7] Nevertheless, endeavors are underway to revive the ecosystem by conducting land surveys.[8][9]
References[edit]
- ^ "Fire rages in Haripur's Makhniyal forests". Dawn. 2022-06-08. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
- ^ "Survey on to get land to conserve forestland". The News International. 2022-07-18. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
- ^ Sadaqat, Muhammad (2015-02-21). "Green day: Imran Khan inaugurates 'Billion Tree Tsunami'". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
- ^ "10 Billion Tree Tsunami drive launched". The Nation. 3 September 2018. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
- ^ "'10 Billion Tree Tsunami Project' PM inspects progress of campaign". Business Recorder. May 28, 2021. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
- ^ Sadaqat, Muhammad (2019-07-28). "Unchecked wildfires eating up Haripur's forests". Dawn. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
- ^ Hayat, Yawar (2022-07-04). "Wildfires damage forests on 36 hectares". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
- ^ "Panel formed on Makhniyal forest encroachment issue". Dawn. December 8, 2021. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
- ^ "KP CM takes notice of constructions in Makhniyal forests area". Daily Times. 2021-08-10. Retrieved 2023-08-25.