ALONG with my teachers and classmates, I recently visited Kalam during an excursion trip to Swat. I am myself from Swat and it is a matter of routine for the locals to go to Kalam and return the same day home. Yet the breathtaking beauty of Kalam is such that despite frequent visits one would like to return to this paradise on Earth.

Kalam, among other tourist resorts in Pakistan, is a rare gem. Words cannot truly describe the beauty of this area; its lakes, thick forests, and snow-capped mountains, are truly magnificent.

But what we have done and are doing to this enchanting place is shocking, to say the least. We are hell-bent on spoiling the beauty of this tourist spot owing to our indifference.

In the dense Kalam forest, all we saw were heaps of garbage lying everywhere. It seems as if people who visit this place believe they are the last ones and no one would visit these forests again; so why not dump all the garbage for their convenience.

Not only tourists, but the locals are also apathetic as they, too, are involved in spoiling the beauty of the area. I noticed how the crystal-clear, cool water of Kalam has been converted into a conduit of sewerage system by the people of the area. This is the height of apathy.

Despite the fact that Kalam is a frequently visited area by tourists, the revenue generated from tourism is hardly used for area’s prosperity and the poor segment of the area. Small children, who should have been in school, could be seen making little money while acting as street vendors, offering horse rides and balloon shooting.

For how long will we exploit nature and the underprivileged class, and for how long this apathy will continue? Appa-rently, nobody knows and nobody cares.

Husna Mehak
Saidu Sharif

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2022