THE recent havoc caused by heavy monsoon downpours, spreading widespread death and destruction, should awaken us.
The tragic scenes caught on camera of a car carrying a retired officer and his 25-year old daughter swept away in Islamabad’s (DHA) housing society should make us realize dangers created by encroachments, tree chopping and poor urban planning. Weather experts have forecast that these torrential rains are likely to occur more frequently in Pakistan’s northern regions and represent the new normal.
Heavy monsoon rains are not unprecedented and have occurred in the past also. Landslides and floods also occurred. Rain storm drains have existed for centuries and so have natural flow of the river paths. Drastic changes in landscape and encroachments, of what are considered to be national reserve zones, where no concrete constructions should have existed, have only added to woes of citizens who live in these areas. When millions of trees are wiped out, soil erosion is a natural consequence. Even a declared natural reserve like Margalla Hills, located in our federal capital has fallen prey to greed of a few within the powerful elite. Declared natural reserve zones, or amenity plots, should have been no-go for any concrete construction, yet they have fallen prey to greed of a few. All these irregularities were regularized by corrupt bureaucracy in nexus with an equally fallible judicial system. Individuals involved in scandalous Kidney Hill Park in Karachi have managed to get away. Many amongst them, despite their lack of college education, were appointment as head of SOE (like PIA etc.) based in Karachi.
Nature is the best environmental manager. The natural landscape, trees, plantation, vegetation and even skin pigment of inhabitants is suited to the weather of geographical location. Plantation of indigenous trees in Pakistan such as Indian Rosewood (Shisham), Indian Lilac/Neem, Deodar, Mango, Acacia, Gum Arabic etc., fruit orchards, cash crops, basic essential agriculture food items are ideal for the climate of these areas. In mountainous regions, Pine trees are suited both to climate and landscape of these areas. It is shocking to witness plantation of Phoenix Dactylifera (Date Palm trees) suitable for arid zones, being planted on fertile soil in Punjab, KP, Islamabad etc. I fail to understand this. Nature has bestowed Pakistan with fertile soil and we must make the best use of this. It never pays to fiddle with nature. The Date Palm trees are suitable for Baluchistan, but not these areas.
Forests and trees play a vital role in creating a natural balance and act as oxygen generators. They contribute in ensuring slope stability in hilly areas and prevent soil erosion and land sliding risks and can aid in land reclamation by stabilizing the soil. They act as barriers obstructing movement of debris, small rocks and slow down the water flow in areas where the slopes exist. The roots of fully grown trees bind the soil together, penetrating deep into the soil. This reinforces resistance to soil erosion and landslides, preventing hilly slopes from being washed away by torrents of water and winds. Tree roots strengthen and buttress the soil structure, preventing and stabilizing them from sliding down slopes and hilly areas. Dense tree canopies intercept heavy downpours of rain and slow the water, facilitating its infiltration into the soil to replenish the underground water level. This prevents soil erosion and hinders landslides.
Cutting down a full grown tree and replacing it with new plants can only replenish the photosynthesis, but cannot prevent soil erosion and landslides that have become a regular feature in recent years. Yet, this has become a regular feature in recent years. This tampering with natural habitat will only aggravate the crisis, causing more death and destruction. Trees, which existed on the periphery of rivers, canals and storm water drains when wiped out, is a dangerous combination. Encroachments by land developers, with no consideration to the fall out of these unethical and irregular practices, must be stopped by the State. Unfortunately State regulatory agencies created and funded by taxpayers have failed to perform their regulatory functions. The Conflicts of Interest of a few paid employees, who are beneficiaries of criminal nexus through allotments of plots on housing societies built on these encroached lands is a serious crime.
Naturally existing flow of the water paths, including those rivers (like Ravi etc) affected by 1960 Indus Water Treaty is criminal. Whenever India releases excess water, the floods would create havoc, because the natural flow of river water has been obstructed by concrete constructions. Even those areas, which constituted river bed, have been encroached upon by these powerful Land Mafia dons in nexus with corrupt bureaucracy and a few within the lower judiciary. This nexus of a few lawyers and land developers with aid of paid bureaucracy is a recipe for disaster. Thousands of poor will die because of insatiable greed of a few.
Pakistan with an agro-based economic country faces a double jeopardy. Failure to tackle the population explosion, by succumbing to extremist religious groups, coupled with shrinking cultivable green pastures, is a double-edged sword. Even fruit orchards which have existed for centuries have been encroached upon by land developers. There is a drastic reduction in agriculture produce food chain. The rural agricultures sector, that has existed for ages, is the biggest employment generator in the country. Millions employed in rural agricultural sector, will be deprived of their livelihood and houses located there. From a self- sufficient country which was capable to meet the vital food and nourishment requirements of the whole country and export surplus, Pakistan today is importing every major essential item, to meet increasing demands of an expanding population.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Lahore.
