Kumratis seek assent to chop trees

The residents of scenic Kumrat Valley have demanded of the government to allow them to chop down trees in their ancestral forests in order to rebuild their homes.

Talking to The Express Tribune they said that their homes were washed away in flash floods on August 26 but it was unfortunate that only Kalam and Bahrain were in the limelight and they had been completely ignored by the media and the government.

“We were provided only one tent for each affected family and a single ration package. No one helped us after that,” said Akbar Jan, adding that the residents of neighbouring villages had accommodated them but it was against their culture to live together with other families.

“Our children and even women often quarrel and we think that we are a big burden for the host families. We want to start rebuilding our homes but we are not allowed to chop trees from our own land,” he said. It may be mentioned here that houses in the highlands of Kumrat are built on the pattern of the Kalash people of Chitral. Wooden frames are built first and then they are buttressed by locally available stones. Such structures are weather-proof and quake-resistant to a greater degree than the modern brick houses.

The forest department has completely banned the chopping of trees in the Kumrat valley which is strictly enforced.

“A single food package and a tent for the entire family is not resettlement or rehabilitation,” said another local Jumadin, adding that dozens of houses had been destroyed and a large number had been damaged without inviting any attention.

Kumrat residents said that winter will set in from late September and they must reconstruct their houses before the harsh weather overtakes them. But they are neither allowed to fell trees nor to ferry logs, which is a real hurdle. “Our houses are made of timber, stones and mud due to extreme weather conditions. Timber is an important part of building code,” they said.

Locals said that their generators, water mills and even head of cattle were swept away in the devastating floods and there was no aid from government despite the passage of 13 days.

To aggravate the distress of Kumrat residents, who are known as Kohistani, the cattle are suffering from lumpy skin disease.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 12^th, 2022.