CHITRAL: Speakers at a ceremony here on Sunday expressed their concerns over the growing recession of wetland area during the past couple of decades.

The ceremony was arranged jointly by Snow Leopard Foundation (SLF) and wildlife department in collaboration of village conservation committee in connection with World Wetland Day in the core area of Toshi-Shasha conservancy. A large number of civil society representatives participated in the ceremony.

Speakers said that the wetlands situated at tourist spots in different areas of Chitral were vulnerable to reckless behaviour of visitors, who polluted the area beyond redemption.

They said that during the recent past, a large number of peat land and bioactive lakes dried up in Broghil and other parts of the region, which was a great ecological loss.

Shading importance of the wetlands, they said that it stored carbons reducing its effects on the climate change, gave protection against flooding, improved water quality and provided habitat to a large number of plant and animal species.

Speakers including regional programme manager of SLF Jamighullah Sherazi, deputy range officer of wildlife Ejazur Rehman, president of Kaset village conservation committee Yousuf Lal and vice-chairman of Toshi-Shasha super cluster Miftahud Din laid stress on raising awareness among people about the ecological importance of wetlands.

They also demanded of authorities to come out with sustainable tourism policy constraining tourists to act in a responsible way.

Published in Dawn, February 3rd, 2025