Abbottabad is nestled within lush green rolling hills. The scenery along with the crisp mountain air promises to offer an unforgettable experience. However, the city isn’t what it is today simply because of natural conditions.
The fertile soil of the area conditions made it possible to grow trees and shrubs of European and Himalayan origin. Some species were brought from Kashmir also.
Highly trained and competent people developed gardens and green belts of Abbottabad in 19th century and local craftsmen built this town and touched the heights of architectural refinement and skillfulness. Beautifully chiselled local stone was used aesthetically in the construction of environmentally friendly buildings. Hammer dressed stones were used even in the roadside drains.
Abbottabad had avenues and groves, which contained magnificent trees of horse chestnuts, cedars, pines, chinar (maple), camphor, elm, ash, mahogany, walnut to name a few, and shrubs of alpine nature. And though the cantonment administration and Pakistan Army managed to preserve the green areas in a much better way, urban sprawl, unplanned expansion and haphazard concrete constructions have now endangered leftovers of those trees and green belts.
Most of the mature trees and shrubs have disappeared and various species of wild birds are becoming homeless as green belts and trees of Abbottabad are disappearing very fast.
Today Abbotabad is in dire need of help. Its green cover is disappearing, mainly because cantonment and municipal bylaws are either being ignored or violated, and constructions are being allowed even on the pine-covered hills, green belts and natural drainage areas. Urban sprawl has reached beyond the capacity of this small town and very few old mature trees and green belts are left in the town. Air pollution too is on the increase, partly due to the fact that trees are disappearing.
We must not forget that trees (particularly evergreen pines and deodars) absorb toxic gases, release pure oxygen and are very important for the healthy existence of humans.
Importance of urban trees can be realized from the fact that in one year’s time, one fully mature conifer (pine, deodar) absorbs nearly a ton of toxic gases, like sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide. But of course, the unskilled contractors, who in the last decade have ransacked the gardens and green belts of Abbotabad in the last decade, don’t realize this fact.
Abbottabad is also losing its environmentally friendly antique buildings at an alarming rate. Due to unplanned urban sprawl and destruction of old trees, once green and clean Abbottabad is now on the verge of environmental catastrophe. Fresh water and fish filled neighbouring streams of Abbottabad are now filled with human waste and plastic shopping bags. Pine-View Road hardly has any pine tree now. There are several other things I would like point out:
• Some people have deliberately damaged roots of centuries old camphor and pine trees, which were present in the area adjacent to Abbottabad Club annexe. There is a plan of constructing of a commercial plaza in this green area, which will result in the destruction of mature trees.
• A developer who got lease of the former Mona Lisa restaurant has converted it into a shopping centre. After bulldozing and ruining the green area he is now expanding his commercial project and paving the green area without any approval.
• There was a little cantonment park adjacent to DIG office and across the Army Medical Corps mess; the park contains mahogany, horse chestnut and pine trees. That park and some portion of the neighbouring drainage area has recently been sold.
• The construction of commercial plazas in the residences of Abbottabad cantonment was banned by the government of Pakistan, Ministry of Defence, vide letter no. 72/90/Lands/ML&C/88-G dated 24.5.1989
• Several centuries old mature trees were cut recently in the former Palace Hotel as district government offices are being expanded in the lawns of this historical building. Not only did the contractor bring a huge machine and remove the trees in one day, but he injured neighbouring trees also.
• Construction of Rescue 15 police station has been proposed in the lower half of the Cantonment Park (Lady Garden). Rescue 15 can easily be placed at the cantonment fire station and workshop, which exists next to the proposed site and it has huge area, built infrastructure and six large garages which are presently filled with the scrap.
• A portion of Victoria Memorial High School (now Government High School No.1) built in 1860 is going to be demolished in the near future. An architectural asset, magnificent old trees and centuries old masonry work will be gone with the old school.
• The Medical Superintendent’s residence, constructed in the 19th century, a masterpiece of symmetry and harmony is scheduled to be demolished.
• Saint Luke Church is the oldest Gothic building in Abbottabad. Its centuries old landscape has recently been destroyed and after bulldozing the old lawns, one of the “Nazim’s” has poured concrete in the green areas of the church.
• “Ilayasi Mosque” is a landmark heritage of Abbottabad. The mosque committee made some major changes, a few years back, in which the old fountain and centuries old chinar trees had to go. Now the committee is again planning to expand the madrassa of the mosque and along with the history, some more mature trees will have to go.
• In order to generate local power, the Power House of Abbottabad was built in 19th century. A portion of that Power House is still standing, which contains historical switchgear and transformers. PESCO construction authorities are now planning to get rid of this heritage. Can we save it for the study of our Civil and Electrical Engineering students?
• Developers and general public are buying and occupying land of historical Sarban and Shimla mountains of Abbottabad at very fast pace.
Trees, shrubs, birds and bio-diversity of these mountains is being destroyed. Houses on the dangerous slopes of these mountains will cause serious threats to the fragile eco-system of Abbottabad.
Human waste and garbage is polluting main water tanks, which are present in these areas. Landslides happen regularly as people dig everywhere and trees are being killed intentional
These are just a few examples. We have to save historical, cultural and architectural heritage for our future generations. Necessary changes in the laws and procedures should be made and engineering and gardening staff should be instructed to take care of heritage buildings and mature trees.
Also, under the federal and provincial Antiquities Acts, legal protection should be given to the remaining cultural, historical and architectural heritage of Abbottabad.
Abbottabad is nestled within lush green rolling hills. The scenery along with the crisp mountain air promises to offer an unforgettable experience. However, the city isn’t what it is today simply because of natural conditions.
Abbottabad is also losing its environmentally friendly antique buildings at an alarming rate. Due to unplanned urban sprawl and destruction of old trees, once green and clean Abbottabad is now on the verge of environmental catastrophe. Fresh water and fish filled neighbouring streams of Abbottabad are now filled with human waste and plastic shopping bags. Pine-View Road hardly has any pine tree now. There are several other things I would like point out:
