Afghanistan: Illegal tree loggers face hefty fine

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan (AA) - In a rare development, the Kabul Municipality in Afghanistan on Thursday imposed fine worth over 5.5 million afghanis ($70,500) on a security firm for cutting trees on a main highway in the city.

The social media was taken by a storm in the country following a security firm’s move to cut trees on the main airport highway in the capital Kabul that triggered the wrath of the citizens in the war-ravaged country.

The local Salam Watandar broadcaster reported that a foreign security firm illegally cut down 24 trees on the road to the Hamid Karzai International Airport in the night two days back to install security cameras without any coordination with the municipality.

On Thursday, Kabul Mayor Ahmad Zaki Sarfaraz called an emergency meeting to review the violation committed by the firm. A statement by the municipality said that the firm was fined with 5.76 million Afghan afghani ($73,600) for cutting the trees.

Historically known for its highland gardens, Kabul once had the aroma of so many wild flowers in its clean air tempting the legendary 15th Century Moghul Emperor Babur to wish for burial here.

It has since hastily evolved from a mountainous town to one of the fastest developing cities on the global scale in a decade’s time. However, little or no city planning has seriously undermined basic municipal services and regulations.