MANSEHRA: Wildfires have destroyed many forests in Kohistan region and are threatening the nearby settlements.

`The wildfires, which have erupted in Suo, Dasu and Dubair areas, have destroyed wide jungles but the forest department has yet to take measures to put them out,` resident Abdul Malik Saghar told reporters.

The wildfires which had erupted in Zaidkhar, Kundo Banda, Kundo Zaili and Kundo Banda Sheikhabad forests in Suo tehsil and Ichar Nullah in Dasu tehsil of Upper Kohistan and Dubair Bala in Lower Kohistan earlier this week couldn`t be extinguished as yet and still flaring up.

`These fires are engulfing more and more forests but the forest department hasn`t taken any effective measures to put them out to avert more damage to trees,` Mr Saghar said.

He warned that wildfires could affect the nearby settlements.

`The flora and fauna have widely been wiped out in forest fires,` he said.

The resident said people of Zaidkhar, Kundo Banda, Kundo Banda Sheikhabad and Kundo Zaili areas in Suo tehsil of Upper Kohistan district were afraid of the widespread fires and demanded immediate government steps to controlthem.

DENGUE CASES RISE: Hundreds of people with dengue symptoms have been hospitalised in Jigal area of Lower Kohistan district, spreading fear among the local population.

`Every second individual in our village has been infected with dengue fever but the health department has yet to take effective measures to contain the virus,` resident Gul Mohammad told reporters.

He said dengue was mostly affecting women and children, who were shifted to the Jigal basic health unit.

Mr Mohammad complained that the area had yet to be fumigated to eliminate the virus.

He said the death of a 21-year-old girl from dengue panicked people. When contacted, district health officer Dr Mohammad Geer said over 400 suspected dengue cases were taken to a medical camp in Mani Dara Jigaland and 40 of them tested positive for the fever.

He said Mani Dara was the breeding ground for mosquito-borne disease, so the health department had established a medical camp for dengue cases.

Dr Geer said a fumigation exercise was being carried out, with over 300 mosquito nets provided to people as a preventive step against dengue.

He said the camp, which had a female and five male doctors, paramedics and other health workers, provided testing service and medicines to people. Correspondent