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ISLAMABAD April 30: Some serious ecological changes are surfacing in the aftermath of the devastating October 8 earthquake in the northern districts of the NWFP and Azad Kashmir, a recent visit to the areas showed. According to the eye-witness account, the lush green mountains, which used to be the hallmark of the picturesque valleys around Balakot, now give a dreadful picture of whitish sand blowing every where due to frequent landslides triggered by hundreds of aftershocks. Denuded of their green apparel, the mountains look lifeless.
Absence of crops has also lent a barren look to the mountainous terrain which used to look lively during harvesting days. The local population, which survived the devastation and had to leave the town after it turned into ruins, has been unable to cultivate most of the land, although the government and NGOs had supplied quality seeds and fertilisers to the interested farmers.
The earthquake has also left many springs dried up, creating drinking water crisis for a number of areas.
Few NGOs have taken upon themselves the task of provision of water and making sanitation arrangements, but the government seems to have no plan to revive the water tank and pipeline system.
TOURISM: The tourism activity, which usually started in the beginning of April, remains suspended due to destruction of the road leading to the beautiful Kaghan Valley. The only bridge which links Balakot with tourist resorts has broken, and its repair is underway ever since.
However, it is feared that the huge tourist edifice including hotels, motels, guest houses and other businesses set up over the years in Naran, Shogran and other places would be deserted and cause colossal losses to their owners.
The road from Balakot to Kaghan has also been broken and needs reconstruction which may cost millions and take years. Only a jeepable road has been carved by the FWO beyond Kiwai up to Mohandri.
The government together with NGOs though helped a lot in rescue and relief operations, no one has proposed compensating the local traders, particularly vendors, whose businesses were totally destroyed and they are penniless to revive it.
According to an estimate, more than 60 per cent traders have not been able to restart their business with no monitory help coming from anywhere. As a result, a large number of people have been rendered jobless.
The people, who are considering migrating to other places, have been sent electricity and telephone bills for the last three months, the time during which they were away from their ruined abodes.
Transport: Traffic on Mansehra-Balakot road remains thin due to massive reduction in population, but more painful is government’s apathy toward’s transporters fleecing the commuters with heavy fares.
The revenue department, from Patwari to Tehsildar level, has done more harm than good to the affected population by enlisting fake names in compensation list, depriving the deserving people of the much-needed monetary help. A number of inquiries are underway against some Patwaris in this regard.
