CHITRAL: The district administration on Monday razed a newly-constructed building of a multi-storey hotel in Krakal village of Bumburate valley as part of its drive against illegal and unapproved buildings.

Lower Chitral deputy commissioner Naveed Ahmed told Dawn that the huge building had been erected opposite to the ‘bashaleni’ (the home of Kalash women where they stay during menstruation), overseeing the latter’s inner portion, thus infringing on their privacy and seclusion.

He said the Kalash people had been expressing strong reservations since the construction had started. He said he had ordered the building’s demolition after fulfilling all the formalities and giving ample time to the owner.

Mr Ahmed said to preserve the natural beauty and cultural heritage of the world-fame Kalash people, the buildings of modern designs were being discouraged by the government.

He said owners of scores of other buildings in the valley had also been served with notices.

Yaqub Khan, a local resident, said the hotel was owned by a person hailing from Punjab who had married a woman from the Krakal village and had taken the piece of land on lease for 30 years.

FLASH FLOODS: Flash floods hit a number of villages in southern belt of Chitral, including the Drosh town, and damaged the infrastructure of road and water supply and headwork of irrigation channels on Sunday night.

The road to Damil village bordering Upper Dir had been washed away, with flood water inundating crops of maize and rice.

The flash flood in Drosh stream left the people without drinking water as pipes of water supply schemes were swept away.

Chitral River was in high flood due to rains and melting of glaciers in Upper Chitral, and causing erosion of agricultural land in different villages in the upstream, including Reshun, Shogram, Junali Koch, Parkusap, Samagol, Werkup and Terich.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2020