Chitral --:All the four tributaries of Garam Chashma river are
in high floods for some time causing huge destruction in the low
land areas specially Garam Chashma town. At least nine shops
have been washed away . The occupants were able to save some
valuables while structures and less valuable items have been
washed away. Embankments constructed by the Government or on
self help basis have been destroyed. The total loss is worth
millions of rupees . In the upland areas pastures ,plantation
,standing crops and fruit gardens have been washed away. There
are reports of loss of livestock which are yet to be confirmed,
because the cattle are now in the very high altitude which are
still inaccessible due to inclement weather. Garam Chashma
remains cut off from Chitral town for the last 48 hours and
students desiring to appear in entry tests are stranded in Garam
Chashma, and their careers are at risk.
The losses have been aggravated by encroachments in river banks
and uncontrolled grazing in upland areas which the Government
has so far failed to regulate. Under the law of the land the
Government is responsible to regulate the use of these lands and
grant user rights to people which it has not done despite the
people having brought it to the notice of the Government in the
background of the earlier floods in 2005. The people hold
government apathy or collusion with land grabbers responsible
for their woes year after year.
The present floods are yet another eye opener for the
Government. If it still fails to discharge its duty the people’s
patience would run out or the Government would continue
repairing the damages year after year at huge cost to public
exchequer.
We hope that the government would wake up to its
responsibilities before it is too late by managing the glaciers,
regulating use of pasture lands , removing encroachments on
river banks and widening them to allowing floods to pass, apart
from constructing protective walls on both sides of the river
specially in vulnerable areas.-- (Report by Islamuddin , 29 July 10)
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