Peshawar   -   The Forest, Environment and Wildlife departments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday issued separate advisories for protection of forest and wildlife from severe heat-wave due to be observed in the country in general and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in particular for over a week.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government have jointly issued advisories on the situation of severe heat-wave for one week starting from Sunday (today), on which the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Forest Department directed special measures for this period.

According to notification, every concerned Conservator, Divisional Forest Officer and Wildlife Department officials will be personally responsible for implementation of the advisory on forests, nurseries, national parks, Peshawar Zoo and other zoos, wildlife parks etc.

Forest Department officials should direct field staff to keep hats and bottles of lemon and salt mixing and cover their heads with soaked cloth, wear loose clothing, drink water regularly and avoid direct exposure to direct sunlight wherever possible.

The provision of first aid kits with the nearest health centre identification and necessary assistance for heatstroke, dehydration should be arranged as much as possible at the place of actual deployment. Soft root system of plants in order to avoid any damage, it is advisable to make a proper watering schedule in the morning or in the evening.

Priority of watering according to plant species: Those who need more water such as Ornamental plants etc, should be preferred while defective, leaking water bowsers and pipes etc, should be repaired on emergency basis.

Ensure the presence of staff on time, additional janitors temporarily where needed. It is also advised to refrain from sowing seeds in the planting area till the last week of June.

Shade or bamboo shoots should be arranged with tube shifting of seeds in nurseries be stopped immediately and provision of shade should be made where possible.

Similarly, wildlife crews are required to ensure regular replacement of drinking water in the respective water ponds, tubs, pots twice daily (morning and afternoon) to ensure availability of fresh water to animals and birds.

Instructions have been issued to keep the water fountain provided at Bird Avenue at the zoo active so that the birds can bathe and soak themselves. Arrangements should be made to provide cages with shelter at the top and sides. Water should be sprinkled in the cages to ensure cooling of birds and animals and fans and coolers should be installed in animal houses and shelters for cooling purposes at the zoo.

Medicines in case of illness mix in water. Bottles of water should be provided to the staff for use in field duty and cold water facility should be provided to both the visitors and the staff through water points at different places.

The district administration also directed to strengthen coordination with Rescue 1122, field staff and police. Conservators and Divisional Forest Officers and Wildlife Department officials were directed to spend maximum time in the field for hand-on monitoring and management during these 7 days.

Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Integrated Tourism Development Project (KITE) has advised local tourists to follow the instruction issued by the provincial government and local administration in the wake of extraordinary heat wave starting from next week.

In a statement it says that rising temperature could increase the flow of rivers in the upper parts of the province if the snow melts due to heat wave as forecast by regional meteorological office.

In case of any untoward incident, contact the control room of the local administration or the Helpline 1422 of the KP Tourism Department. The provincial government has also directed district administration and concerned departments to take necessary step to cope to heat wave and protection of people from severe weather.