Rampant deforestation threatening ecology near Nanga Parbat, Fairmeadows

Rampant deforestation threatening ecology near Nanga Parbat, Fairmeadows

The region which extends from Karakorum Highway all the way to the scenic resort of Fiarymeadows near Nanga Parbat, is owned and controlled by the local inhabitants of the region and government has less control over the area and is seemingly nonexistent.
The road which leads to the scenic resort from the Rai Kot Bridge stretches to some 17 kilometers and the Nanga Parbat Base Camp can be reached through another 10 kilometers difficult trek from there onwards.

The region is a huge natural stockpile of rich coniferous forest and is vital to the ecological stability of the area. The forest supports several species of rare flora and fauna and provides a natural buffer against the land denudation and erosion. The
area stretching from Rai Kot Bridge all the way to the Base Camp of the ninth highest mountain on earth does not support a single government installation. Whether it is post office or the forest departments check post, the area is completely devoid of any
sign of a strong government intrusion in case of timber poaching and illegal land grabbing.

The forest holds some of the oldest Pine and Cedar trees and are facing constant threat of cutting down for construction and fuel. Locals who have a home-grown criteria of allotting lands to the aspiring hotel builders, who deem it their birth right to cut
down the trees on their allotted property which is bought without payment of any money. The local administrator also known as “Numbardar” usually takes care of the land disputes and allots pieces of land to the local habitants, who are mostly herders and forest
dwellers.

Rai Kot Glacier, one of the major sources of fresh water in the region, originates from the base of the Killer Mountain and treads from the middle of the forest before it culminates into a stream of melting snow. The movement of glacier has carved a huge
river of flowing ice and gravel and in the absence of forest on both sides, the glacier is likely to encroach deeper inside the forest. The presence of deep rooted old trees provides the necessary obstruction to the glacier and holds the banks intact.

Most of the hotel construction is carried out by wood, which requires larger and heavier planks of wood, which thereby incites the need to cut down older and bigger trees for the purpose. The local land and hotel owners consider it their birth right to cut
down any tree which either provides a hurdle in movement or even is causing obstruction in the view of the hotel.

The forest is a rich natural reserve of the area and its absence and continuous deterioration will eventually lead to dire ecological repercussions. Gilgit-Baltistan provincial government must act to stop unchecked deforestation in the area to sustain the
richness and diversity of the region, turning it into a lucrative tourist resort.  

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=5158

Posted by Naveed A Bari on Nov 30 2011. Filed under Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry