MURREE: Murree has been a popular tourist destination since the colonial period, frequented by those looking to escape the summer weather in other parts of the country and by companies and NGOs who host official meetings there.

The hill station is managed well by its administration, which keeps popular spots such as Mall Road, GPO Chowk, Bank Road, Kashmir Point and Pindi Point clean whatever the weather. But behind the buildings of Mall Road, Murree is littered with masses of filth and garbage.

Around 14 tons of solid waste are collected from Murree every day, reaching 23 tons during peak summer.

A large portion is left in isolated locations which, along with untreated sewage and liquid waste, flows into natural streams and contributes to a rapidly degrading ecosystem.

According to the Murree Town Municipal Administration’s (TMA) statistics, the city is facing a permanent shortfall of water. Even in the lean tourist period, the area requires 1.7 to 1.8 million gallons of water daily (MGD) while, according to a TMA official, “supply is limited to 1.1 to 1.2MGD”.

Murree sees a continuous flow of tourists year-round, the official said, because there are few alternative holiday resorts in the country that are easily accessible and safe.

The motorway and the extension of gas supply has made life easier in Murree, the official said, leading not just tourists but also locals to move to Murree in the winter.

At the same time, the city generates 500,000 gallons to 1.5MGD of sewage depending on the time of year.

Environmental experts fear that degradation is occurring much faster than the rate of natural replenishment, and authorities must take urgent measures in this regard.

“Hills are not like plains; the connection between life forms and nature is very delicate,” said WaterAid’s head of policy and advocacy Nadeem Ahmed.

He said raw sewage outflow from Murree ends in the Rawal and Khanpur lakes, both of which are sources of Rawalpindi’s water supply.

In addition, he said, almost all the natural streams flowing from Murree are being polluted by sewage and by solid waste.

Locals, too, have begun to feel the after-effects of unregulated growth in the hill resort, where hotels, restaurants and apartment buildings have mushroomed to meet rising demand.

The level of growth has led to an increase in the sewage that flows into the natural streams in the hills of Murree, eventually polluting groundwater downstream. Many streams even carry plastic bags and other solid waste, along with waste water.

Ghora Gali resident Ehsaan Abbasi said: “We have been consuming water from the spring originating near our house for ages, but for the first time last winter we noticed that the water stank. We are fearful of our health in the coming months.

When asked about why a spring would smell in the winter, local environmentalist Asad Abbasi said water flow is fast in the monsoon, but the early winter months are dry and the heavy sewage flow from Murree seeps into the ground and affects shallow springs.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2018