Every year we arrange Shandur Event, Qaqlasht Event, Broghol Event etc which are necessary for healthy society and appreciable.  But unfortunately after close of the event huge pile of plastic wastes and other pollutants materials are spread by the visitors which causes serious environmental problem in the area. As environmental activist I often visit these places and observe the situation after close of the event which presents disaster like situation and deplorable look.

Last year when I visited the area after close of Qaqlasht event for
collection and disposal of the garbage’s it seriously disturbed me
when I saw carcass of endangered lynx, wolf, foxes and other species in various places of Qaqlasht as a result of eating the wastes and garbage which people left there.

All these happened due to our mismanagement and spread of wastes which spectators left in the area after close of the event and these wildlife species eat the stuff and as result dies and if this trend continued and no action is taken to control this menace in near future majority of wildlife will become prey of our events. The same situation is also happen during Shandur event and large number of livestock belonging to neighboring community as well as wildlife dies by eating the wastes which people left there after close of the event.

There is no mechanism to collect and properly dispose off the garbage during the event and as a result we pay huge environmental cost of these events. I humbly request all the visitors/spectators to take serious notice of this issue and dispose off their wastes according to the proper way and not spread pollutants materials in the area. Secondly I also request government of KP, environmental department, NGOs, Wildlife department Chitral and other development organization to take notice of the issue and both preventive and protective measures must be taken to control this issue which has resulted environmental disaster in the area.

Government should take lead role and other development organization should chalk-out well coordinated plan to control this problem otherwise I as environmental activist will take stay order from higher judiciary to stop these events as last resort. As environmental activists it is not possible for me to remain silent at the face of serious environmental disaster. I think and I hope relevant department will take notice of the issue and in future we will have both the events and also properly dispose off wastes so that negative environmental impact of the event can be mitigated. — Rehmat Ali Jaffardost , Environmental Activist Chitral — 12 Mar 2017