MINGORA: Residents of different parts of Mingora have demanded of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to take action against those who dump waste in Jambil and Elum Khwar and ensure healthy environment for them.

Shopkeepers and some residents of Mingora throw their garbage and waste in Jabmil and Marghuzar streams, turning them into filthy gutter and posing a serious threat to the health of people living in the city.

“Just a decade ago water of these streams was so clean and transparent that men would swim or take bath here while women of the surrounding areas would wash clothes,” said Khan Zaman, a resident of Mingora.

People said that both the streams were a good source of drinking water for the local people.

“Now water of both the streams at Mingora has become so dirty that no one can even touch it,” said Akbar Ali, a resident of Landeykas. He said that there was acute shortage of drinking water for the residents.

“Dumping of garbage and releasing residential waste into the streams reflect the inefficiency of the tehsil municipal administration,” said Amjad Ali, another resident of Mingora.

Despite the announcement of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government banning throwing of waste or garbage into streams, the government agencies themselves dump garbage in the streams.

“The KP government, first of all, should fine the municipal administration as they violate government rules,” said Niaz Ali, a local social activist.

Elders of the area said that before Swat state was merged into Pakistan there were strict laws about streams and rivers. “Nobody would dare to throw a single paper into streams and rivers at the time of Swat state and since it merged into Pakistan, every stream and river got filthy and encroached,” said Zaheenullah, an elder in Mingora.

The filthy water of the streams which traverse in Mingora bazaar has been causing environmental hazards, but neither the government nor the environmental agencies are paying attention.

Residents of Mingora have demanded of the government to take steps for stopping illegal dumping of waste into the streams.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2016