(Pakistan Point News - 12th July, 2017) : Pakistan is among those blessed countries in this world which are rich in natural beauty either they are the 4 enjoyable seasons, the seasonal fruits we anxiously wait for or the mountains that soothe our eyes. One of the major sight-seeing valleys situated in the north of Pakistan is the renowned Gilgit Baltistan which shares a definite border with China, India and Afghanistan. Nature has blessed the extreme north of Pakistan with Gilgit Baltistan.
The diverse scenic beauty marks the magnificence of the region. Attractive landscapes, evergreen forests, cold deserts, snow-capped mountains and great cultural legacy serves as bait for the tourists. Trekkers, nature lovers and climbers always fantasize the beautiful heritage of Pakistan to take a trip and admire its exquisiteness. There is a continuous elevation in the number of tourists who make their ways towards Gilgit baltistan in order to quench their nature’s-thirst.
Facts and figures show 2015 being visited by more than 6 lac tourists. The tourists came out of diverse purposes and passion; they are comprised of climbers, photographers, site visitors, trekkers, trophy hunters, geo-tourists, hikers, cultural tourists etc. One good thing about tourism in a certain region is that it doesn’t remain confined to just that, despite, it brought evolution in the prevailing lifestyle within the region. Moreover, it also creates an infusion of socio- economic impact right there with all its effectiveness! But here a dilemma comes right next to the beauty tourists enjoy, and unfortunately the dilemma has been created by them.
What is necessary is when you adore something, it becomes your duty to take care of it but this is not the case with the tourists. They soothe their souls with the scenic beauty but the region gets accumulated with the waste that is thrown away carelessly. Just after the season ends, the blossoming valleys become garnished with all sort of garbage including plastic bags and disposable stuff. The place which was once a trademark of nature and beauty has now been polluted due to the “inhumane” activities.
Forests are being cut down for construction of resorts, hotels and restaurants. Many rare species of wildlife are now on the brink of extinction. People enjoy their recreational activities and the Preservation of nature goes down the priority list. The promotion of tourism and awareness to keep it clean and let it remain in the hands of nature should go side by side. Besides tourist’s spots and places to eat, an awareness to keep the environment clean should also be created among all the beauty-loving-visitors.
Social media could be utilized effectively to run campaigns to educate people about the worsening situation of their most favourite tourist spots. The department of tourism along with the residents of the region should take efficient steps to keep the environment healthy not only for them but for the visitors as well. Another way lies in the hands of the students who return to their homes in gilgit baltistan during their holidays. They can construct a volunteer team along with the local municipal corporation functional there to educate and aware the local residents and the tourists to keep it clean where they live.
To make sure the healthy and clean atmosphere of Gilgit balitistan, the tourists should be given special briefing about their duties to keep their surroundings safe from any pollution which could be created on camping sites, valleys, lush meadows and all the spots which are accumulated with natural beauties. Last but not the least; tourism shouldn’t expand to the lakes, forests and glaciers which sustain life in the region so that it would remain safe from all the destructive activities.
As the world is getting affected by global warming and we see forests getting cleared due to urbanization, this automatically put responsibility over the shoulders of each and every individual to save the environment by doing little efforts, which may not be huge in magnitude but would mark long lasting affects for the generations. As we admire the beauty of our country and feel proud to be a Pakistani, it is indeed our very own responsibility to control the pollution and keep the environment clean to live healthy.
