Govt must take immediate steps towards mitigating this emergency situation and declare Chitral a calamity-hit district
CHITRAL: This is an appeal by those who are paying the price of environmental changes caused due to the reckless deeds of others. On the eve of Eid, various streams overflowed due to heavy downpour, causing flash floods in Chitral. These washed away many houses, crops, property, shops, bridges and most importantly, roads connecting the Garam Chashma Valley in the Chitral district to the rest of the world.
Since then, the geographically treacherous area has become completely landlocked. The area houses a population of almost one million people, who depend on supplies from other areas to meet their daily needs. Since roads have been washed away, the availability of commodities and household supplies in markets has fallen to dangerous proportions. This poses serious difficulties for thousands of people. Other areas of the district have also been hit by this natural calamity and the damage inflicted is beyond imagination. Immediate needs include food items, medical supplies and shelter for the homeless. The government must take immediate steps towards mitigating this emergency situation and declare Chitral a calamity-hit district. In doing so, it should involve civil society philanthropists and the international community. Timely mobilisation of resources could rescue people in need.
Syed Gohar Ali Shah
Published in The Express Tribune, July 24th, 2015.
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