By: Usman Torwali
Swat is affectionately called the Switzerland of Pakistan for its stunning snow-caped mountains, lush valleys, majestic sceneries, meadows, lakes and other splendid natural scenic places of mesmerizing beauty and tranquil ambiance. Most of the valley owes its beauty to river Swat. This river rises in the lap of towering hills of Hindukush, musters up its water from Khwars (small rivers) in Oshu, Gabral, Mankiyal, Kedam and Daral along with other small tributaries in the lower Swat. Flowing throughout the valley, irrigating almost 160,000 acres of agricultural land, the river finally falls into Kubha river (Kabul) at Nisatta. This river has been referred as Suvastu in Rigveda which means the river of clear blue waters or river on which settlements can be made. Later on, Suvastu changed into its modern name Swat.
Also, Swat valley has been an important center of Gandhara Civilization and a focal point for Buddhists as according to an archeological mission, which had visited the valley last year, there are almost 400 Buddhists’ ancient sacred sites scattered in the valley. Due to the natural beauty and historical rich heritage the valley has been an attractive tourist destination for people across the globe. Moreover, in the upper regions of Swat there are hundreds of hotels built at the bank of river Swat from Madyan through Bahrain, Mankiyal, Asrait, to Kalam. Most of these tourist spots are in Tehsil Bahrain which comprises sixty percent area of the district Swat.
Instead of increasing tourism by making and exploring more and more tourist spots in Swat the government has set on devastating the already natural beauty by diverging river Swat into invisible tunnels in almost fifty kilometers between Madyan and Kalam. PEDO an independent power producing company is going to make three different hydropower projects on river Swat. The first will diverge the water into tunnel from Kalam and open it in its powerhouse at Asrait. In Asrait again the water of river Swat will be turned into the tunnel and open in Kedam. There is a third tunnel in Kedam which will be opened in Kalagay Madyan. Thus, depriving the population of the historical river between Madyan and Kalam. The machinery for Madyan power project has already been deployed at the sites, whereas the locals have not been consulted in the due process of the projects. In the reports of the projects a lot of unnecessary details have been provided but no ear has been rendered to the reservations of the locals being as afectees.
In the wintertime this river shrinks so it will be just a thin stream of dirty water. There will be no aquatic life especially the famous trout fish will vanish in this region due to the scarce water in the river. Rubbles, scraps and smell will be the only things seen in the otherwise diligently flowing river Swat after the accomplishment of these projects. An increase in the temperature, disturbing biodiversity and environmental degradation are not the only impacts that these projects will beget.
The local economy is based on tourism and agriculture. Hotels at this area will fall vacant which is a major source of income in the valley. The locals often return from cities to their towns as there are plenty of livelihood opportunities in hotels and agricultural lands during summertime but after these projects these people will likely leave their culture, language and ancestors land forever. Moreover, alongside river Swat, there are many under construction sites of parks, tourist spots and hotels, what attraction will they be for the visitors if there will be no water in the river.
Nonetheless, many industrialists have already bought lands in these regions berefting the locals of their ancestors’ land. There are many commercial projects owned by people from the big cities. It has already posed a serious threat to the indigenous culture, language and people of the area however the hydropower projects will augment the situation and leave the locals with no other options but to leave the valley and migrate to cities in search of livelihood.
It has been argued by many that such projects bring prosperity and development to the locality, but the locals have already experienced the making of a hydropower worth 36 MW at Daral River in Bahrain. Not even the locals have been granted jobs. In Bahrain there is no girls’ and boys’ college. No girls middle school between some 20Km. Healthcare portrays the same desperate picture. At Cham, Gharai, Ramait the roads and bridges destructed in 2010 floods have not yet been reconstructed. Gabral, Utror, Pushmal, Mankiyal and the geographical center of Swat have infrastructure in shambles, as it was washed away in 2021 and 2022 devastating floods, but the government is busy in launching such hydro power projects which are detrimental to the environment as well as local economy, ignoring the already ruined condition of the valley. The hydro power projects cannot be called development, it is retrogression. the government must do something about education, healthcare and infrastructure of the area.
The locals of Bahrain and other possible affected areas have convened several meetings regarding the hydro power projects. They have showed extreme reservations over these projects and altogether reject them. On august 23 the locals staged a protest against these projects. Thousands of people gathered at Bahrain Bazar chanted “pedo shedo namanzoor” and save Swat, save river. Elders and leaders addressed the crowd and stressed that they will never allow these projects. The government must prioritize local communities’ concerns when it comes to the exploitation of their natural resources and not insist on exploitation of the natural resources of the local communities. This consent is crucial and should not be overlooked in such important decisions.
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