LANDIKOTAL: Tribal people without electricity and gas are cutting trees in the mountains to meet their energy requirements creating serious environmental and health issues.
Lack of awareness about environmental pollution and preservation of natural water resources is another issue in tribal regions, which has never been addressed.
Planting on barren lands and “barani” dams (small rainy dams) could play a pivotal role to overcome environmental pollution and shortage of potable water in the tribal areas, but unfortunately the government, FATA secretariat, forestry department and ministry of environment have not paid heed to resolve theese environment related problems that are causing social hardships in the tribal regions.
There are many spots such as Ghar Oba in Jamrud, Landi Khana, Mishtara and river Kabul on the Landikotal side, that have natural resource of water, which can be stored in barani dams and utilized to meet water and energy needs improving the natural environment.
The FATA secretariat has time and again pledged to construct small dams in tribal areas particularly in Landikotal and Jamrud to store rainwater in some of the most feasible spots in mountains like Sultan Khel Mazrina, Shekhwal Borye, Sheikhmal Khel, Abdal Khad, Landi Khana and Ashkhel Shinwari areas besides Jaba and Ghar Oba in Jamrud, but so far no concrete steps have been taken to address water shortage, forestry, energy and environment problems.
Some of these projects can be initiated and completed within a short span of time with minimal budget if the concerned authorities take serious interest, an NGO FRDP representative said.
Assistant political agent (APA) Landikotal Iqbal Khattak has been interested in plantation of trees in the area.
“I have formally requested the high-ups and forest officials to cultivate trees on a very large scale in various parts of Landikotal to make it green to attract tourists and
help the poor people,” APA Landikotal Iqbal Khattak informed.
The forest department officials and personnel have to show trees on the ground not on documents, APA Landikotal warned.
An official of forest department Khyber, however, claimed that the department has planted trees in many areas of Khyber Agency, but can’t protect them for long in the absence of watchmen.
Meanwhile, it seems FATA secretariat has buried the Mega Shelman water supply project from river Kabul that had been approved in the past with more than Rs35 million to meet the basic water needs of the local people.
Similarly an official of the public health said that Ghar Oba in Ali Masjid area is the largest natural water resource that can be easily supplied in pipelines to overcome water shortage problems that could also curtail government expenses on digging tube wells.
Copyright PPI (Pakistan Press International), 2011
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