KUANTAN, Dec 9 — The Pahang Forestry Department (JPNP) recorded 68 cases related to various forest offences from January to November this year, the state legislative assembly was told today.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said during the same period, the department had collected over RM1.7 million in compounds and compensation from the involved parties.

"As of November, the area of the permanent forest reserve (HSK) is 1.597 million hectares, while the forest area is 2.039 hectares, which is 57 per cent of the total area of the state,” he said when replying to a question from Datin Samsiah Arshad (BN-Bukit Ibam).

Samsiah had wanted to know how big the permanent forest area is and the action taken against encroachers.

Replying to a supplementary question from Andansura Rabu (PAS-Beserah), Wan Rosdy said the Pahang government is targeting to have 60 per cent forest area to ensure environmental sustainability for the interests of future generations.

Meanwhile, state Tourism, Culture, Environment, Plantation and Commodity Committee chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Sharkar Shamsudin said Tasik Chini Special Rehabilitation Action Committee had been set up to coordinate the conservation plans for the lake.

Replying to a question from Mohd Sharim Md Zain (BN-Chini), he said the state government had also agreed to expand the Tasik Chini Biosphere Reserve (TCBR), from 6,922 hectares to 9,147 hectares.

He added that a large part of the new TCBR would be gazetted as Chini permanent forest reserve to ensure no future exploration. — Bernama