Roundtable meeting held on policy and activities combating illegal logging

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ This action ran Thursday in the State House, co-organized by the parliamentary Standing committee on environment, food and agriculture and the Ministry of Environment and Green Development. It was chaired by G.Bayarsaikhan, a head of this Standing committee. Head of the Ministry’s Regulatory Department of Policy Implementation B.Gantulga delivered a report on the theme, followed by section head of the General Agency for Specialized Inspection (GASI) D.Tserendash with "Implementation of the forest law" report and by officer of Investigating Department Lieutenant-Colonel S.Bayanmonkh with report on present and future actions against illegal logging. The Minister of Environment and Green Development S.Oyun and related officials exchanged views. As of today, the total area of forests is 18.5 million hectares accounting for only 11.79% of the country’s territory. The illegal logging declined 31.5% in the last five years, but the situation is still intense. However, Dr Dashzeveg does not agree with the decrease saying that it is impossible to reduce this crime due to many uncontrolled paths and roads. He criticized the insufficient inspection over the illegal logging, and proposed creating a related foundation. It is vital to refresh connections of activities of NGOs in order to stop the illegal logging, people and enterprises who reveal/detect the illegal actions should be awarded, the Standing committee head G.Bayarsaikhan said, adding the committee will pay attention to altering related laws and regulations on forest.