From breathtaking to breath-holding: Govt apathy covering lush Lalazar in trash
Despite govt’s claims focusing on promoting tourism, existing tourist sites represent neglect
Lalazar. PHOTO: @Pakistaninpics/ TWITTER
BALAKOT:
Known for its lush green rolling landscape, Lalazar in the Kaghan valley is nestled between snow-capped peaks.
Even as one takes in this breathtaking scene and its fresh air, one cannot help but notice, through the corner of one’s eye, the unmistakable sight of trash strewn across the green highlands leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
Lalazar is located at a height of 3,123 metres above sea level, near Battakundi in the Kaghan valley and draws thousands of local and a smattering of international tourists every year. After Lake Saiful Mulook in Naran and Shogran, this is among the most frequented travel spots in the area.
However, heaps of garbage have, like a host of other popular tourist spots in the valley, have stained its beauty.
The fast receding line of Pine trees seems to be directly correlated to the diminishing drawing power of these once, ‘must visit’, tourist destinations.
Some tourists visiting Lalazar told Daily Express that the negligence of the local government and the authorities with respect to the cleanliness of the area was disappointing.
They added that tales of Lalazar’s beauty are told far and wide, attracting people living as far away as Europe to come and visit it. But after arriving here, one is greeted with the eyesore of rubbish heaps.
Further, they said that the role of the Forestation Department in controlling illegal logging appeared to be negligible given the logging of Pine trees.
If remain unchecked, they warned, soon Lalazar’s green hills will turn barren. They urged the government to take timely actions to preserve the valley’s beauty.
K-P to create tourism authority
While the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government claims to be focusing on promoting tourism and looks to set up new tourist destinations in the country to maximise the tourist potential, it seems to be ignoring the existing tourist destinations.
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government claims to have taken special measures at Lalazar to keep it clear of trash, but the performance of government institution in the area remains poor given how trash can be seen piled next to pit stops in the valley.
The provincial government had set up the Kaghan Development Authority (KDA) in the Kaghan valley to promote tourism and to assure that tourism spots are kept clean.
But heaps of garbage point towards the absence of any cleanliness drive undertaken by the government.
Camping pods set up in Shangla
The provincial government is also supposed heavily fine the KDA if it fails to clean these areas but it seems the threat of punitive measures has failed to jolt the authority into action.
Moreover, the gradual decline in Pine trees hints towards the active presence of the timber mafia in the area which the Forestation Department has been unable to control. This is doubly worrying given the government’s focus on planting trees and increasing the green cover at a time when it is unable to control illegal logging.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 28th, 2018.
Known for its lush green rolling landscape, Lalazar in the Kaghan valley is nestled between snow-capped peaks.
Even as one takes in this breathtaking scene and its fresh air, one cannot help but notice, through the corner of one’s eye, the unmistakable sight of trash strewn across the green highlands leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
Lalazar is located at a height of 3,123 metres above sea level, near Battakundi in the Kaghan valley and draws thousands of local and a smattering of international tourists every year. After Lake Saiful Mulook in Naran and Shogran, this is among the most frequented travel spots in the area.
However, heaps of garbage have, like a host of other popular tourist spots in the valley, have stained its beauty.
The fast receding line of Pine trees seems to be directly correlated to the diminishing drawing power of these once, ‘must visit’, tourist destinations.
Some tourists visiting Lalazar told Daily Express that the negligence of the local government and the authorities with respect to the cleanliness of the area was disappointing.
They added that tales of Lalazar’s beauty are told far and wide, attracting people living as far away as Europe to come and visit it. But after arriving here, one is greeted with the eyesore of rubbish heaps.
Further, they said that the role of the Forestation Department in controlling illegal logging appeared to be negligible given the logging of Pine trees.
If remain unchecked, they warned, soon Lalazar’s green hills will turn barren. They urged the government to take timely actions to preserve the valley’s beauty.
K-P to create tourism authority
While the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government claims to be focusing on promoting tourism and looks to set up new tourist destinations in the country to maximise the tourist potential, it seems to be ignoring the existing tourist destinations.
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government claims to have taken special measures at Lalazar to keep it clear of trash, but the performance of government institution in the area remains poor given how trash can be seen piled next to pit stops in the valley.
The provincial government had set up the Kaghan Development Authority (KDA) in the Kaghan valley to promote tourism and to assure that tourism spots are kept clean.
But heaps of garbage point towards the absence of any cleanliness drive undertaken by the government.
Camping pods set up in Shangla
The provincial government is also supposed heavily fine the KDA if it fails to clean these areas but it seems the threat of punitive measures has failed to jolt the authority into action.
Moreover, the gradual decline in Pine trees hints towards the active presence of the timber mafia in the area which the Forestation Department has been unable to control. This is doubly worrying given the government’s focus on planting trees and increasing the green cover at a time when it is unable to control illegal logging.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 28th, 2018.