Z.A. Zulfi, Buni
 

Last year glacial outburst and resulting flush flood in many villages of Chitral, forced the people of this region to rethink on their life style. The flush flood jolted the mountainous region of Khyber Pakhtoon Khwa. Though no life casualties have been reported in Chitral but the flood has sent dangerous warning sign among people and they think themselves at the verge of collapse. Still people are scared of the expected flood as the summer season approached and the rate of glacial melting is rising day by day. This rapid melting of glacier has cause sudden rise in the river water flow and the people at the banks of rivers and stream are agonized. Last year’s episodic flush flood in Booni main stream have caused great havoc and concern among the inhabitants of this beautiful landscape. FOCUS humanitarian assistance has been responsive in finding out the root causes of the flood, relief works in the area and strategizing plan to avert casualties in the future.

In April this year an international team of glaciologists was especially invited to Booni by Ismaili Regional Council Upper Chitral to further investigate the chances of flood in future and inform the people. The GOOD NEWS, according to the report, is that chances of such happenings are rare in the near future. This article is meant to make these findings public through mass media. Those who are inside and outside Chitral must be happy and relieved that their beautiful piece of land is safe for the next about 40 or 50 years ago. It does not mean that we should be euphoric and excited and leave every thing on Almighty. Unless and until measures are taken such disaster will be frequent in the future.

This year in May a team of expert glaciologists headed by Professor Iqbal Khan, a well known Pakistani glaciologist, visited the glaciers at Booni and Sonoghur. The team was also accompanied by the FOCUS volunteers from Booni. They thoroughly investigated the reasons behind the flood and gave some interesting and some horrifying reports on the status of glaciers at Booni and Sonoghur valley. After visiting the two gigantic glaciers the team of expert shed light on the glacial rapid melting and their results in the future.
According to the report by the expert rapid climate changes as a result of global warming has resulted in the drastic changes in the shape and volume of the world glaciers. During the next 20 years Arctic and Antarctic Glacier will completely melt down. These solid water reservoirs will change in to Arctic and Antarctic Ocean and will be used for navigation purposes. In the same way, 90% of the Himalyan, Kolahoi and Siachen glaciers are melting away resulting in the water shortage in the rivers fed by these mammoth bodies of water. It is alarming that Siachin Glacier has reduced to 74 km from 150 km in lenght during the last 50 years.

Pakistan has the longest glacier range outside the polar glacier storage with the total glacial area of 13680 Sq km with the total length of 6160 Km. 13 percent of the mountains are covered by snow. The total water content in the glaciers in Pakistan is 1400 km3 . The data also indicated due to the shrinkage in the sizes of glacier the volume of water has also resulted in the rapid drop of water flow in all the major rivers of Pakistan. The reduced water in the river will result in the severe shortage of water, reduction in the crop production, reduction in the generation of hydro electric powers and also in the industrial output.

Like other glacial water reservoirs the sign in the Buni gol area shows that the about 300 or 400 hundred years ago there could have been very large area covered by the glaciers. Due to rise in temperature and increasing human activities the glacier kept melting with some rise and fall in the stream water. Land sliding enhanced the danger when it mixed up with the accelerating water flow.
The main reason behind the flush flood was last year unexpected rain fall in the region. On the basis of the findings the following possible disaster could occur withing fifty years or so.
• Severe Landslides
• Possible blockade of the Booni Gole near the gorge
• Severe decrease of water in the stream
• Uncertain rainfall
The team of researchers suggested the following long term measure to mitigate the danger.
• Ongoing monitoring of the glacier and land sliding area
• Introducing drip irrigation, spray irrigation system and construction of check dams to avoid the shortage of water in the area.
• Gabion and protective walls on the sides of main streams
• Abandoning the pastures and glacier area for all human activities
It is naïve to think that there is no danger of such outburst in future. We must be careful about the danger caused by the water shortage due to the reduction in glacier size. It is certain that glacier is melting very rapidly. The people in their sixties and seventies may not be able to witness the future calamities but those who are still young can see the future happenings.

To make the place safer for the next generation it is our duty to think from now and changes the agricultural life style. Closing the lines I see the lines of Ahmad Faraz who depicted the future picture in his this verse.
Saat Qulzum maujizan chaaron taraf
Aur hamare Bakht mei shabnam nahi        --  Z.A. Zulfi, Booni, 01 July 20100

Comment 1

I would like to endorse the comments of Z.A Zulfi about the angry Booni Gole, its floods and large scale devastation of last year. Although the glaciological report on the subject is positive and encouraging, but still we will have to keep our eyes open and take all possible steps including construction of embankments on both sides of the stream for safety of the valley and its inhabitants. Steps also need to be taken for safe passage of the streams of sonoghur, Brep, Chitral Gole and other dangerous spots of entire Chitral as well. For this purpose public representatives should apprise the intensity of the issue to the concerned authorities at federal, provincial and district level and specially on the occasion of Shandur Festival .-- Zahir Uddin,Richmond Hill, Canada 02 July 2011

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