SHANGLA: Experts have urged the government to construct roads, accommodation facilities and food outlets in the newly-discovered tourist destinations in Shangla to attract visitors and create the much-needed employment opportunities for the locals.

They were talking to reporters during a visit to the newly-discovered Acharo Sar tourist destination here.

Dr Tariq Rauf, a PhD scholar on ecotourism, said Shangla was blessed with beautiful sites but these were never explored to attract tourists both nationally and internationally.

He said Acharo Sar was a worth-visiting place during summer. “We want the government to promote ecotourism in the province, especially in the Malakand division by launching campaigns to tell the visitors to avoid damaging the natural environment of the places when they visit there,” Dr Rauf said.

He said the provincial government could earn huge revenues by exploiting these tourist destinations.

Afsarul Mulk Afghan, a social activist, said he would visit every hidden tourist place in the district and convince the authorities to develop them into popular destinations. He said Acharo Sar’s natural beauty was unmatched as it was blessed with natural springs, singing waterfalls and streams.

Fayaz Khan, a nature lover, said the authorities should construct accommodation facilities and food outlets for the tourists in the Acharo valley.

He said developing these tourist sites could help end poverty in Shangla as locals would get jobs and earn livelihood with honour.

Wakeel Khan, another tourist, said a lack of facilities was a major challenge to boosting tourism in Shangla. The government needs to construct roads to these spots, he demanded.

LIVESTOCK VACCINATION: The district livestock department has launched vaccination drive against foot and mouth disease.

A statement issued here the other day said the drive was launched to control fast spread of the disease because of transportation of livestock from other parts of the country into the district.

It said thousands of large and small animals had so far been vaccinated with a superior quality imported vaccine. The statement said vaccination drive would be intensified in the coming days to eliminate the disease completely before Eidul Azha.

In another development, the tehsil administration in collaboration with the district health department established a Covid-19 vaccination desk at the Bisham sub-jail on Tuesday.

Assistant commissioner Mohammad Younas Khan inaugurated the facility.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2021