MINGORA: The waste and garbage dumping site along the Swat River in Ogdai village near Mingora has polluted the river and created environmental hazards, complain the local elders.

They said that the area was once a tourist resort as people would enjoy its pleasant weather, tasty peaches, juicy apples and fresh strawberries.

“However, the scenic resort has been turned into a filthy area full of houseflies and bad smell,” they added.

The local elders said that the tehsil municipal administration was violating environmental regulations, which prohibited everyone from throwing waste and garbage into running water.

“This area was famous for its natural beauty and fresh air where local people come for picnics but TMA has made it a filthy dungeon after setting a garbage dumping site here.

“It has not only stopped tourists from coming here but also made life of local people miserable,” said Akhtar Munir, a resident of Ogdai village.

Ogdai villagers complain about contamination of river

The villagers said that they used to drink the river water and swim in it. “Now the water is contaminated and nobody can go near the river,” they added.

Advocate Fazlullah, another resident of the village, said that TMA itself violated environmental regulations by throwing hazardous garbage into the river.

“Due to bad smell and suffocation, taking breathe has become difficult here. The area has become a centre of houseflies, mosquitoes and crows,” he told Dawn.

The villagers said that water in their wells had developed bad taste and several diseases had become common in the area due to water and environmental pollution.

“Apart from skin and respiratory diseases, hepatitis and nausea are also common here while cases of kidney and liver problems are also on the rise,” Yousaf Khan, a resident of the village, told Dawn.

The villagers said that Ogdai was a famous fruit producing area of Swat where high quality of peaches, apples and strawberries were in abundance.

“Now flies and mosquitoes are so common here that they have badly affected the orchards. The farmers have uprooted their orchards of peaches, apples and strawberries,” said Mukhtiar Ali.

The local people said that they staged many protests against the illegal action but the issue was not resolved.

They demanded of the government to shift the garbage dumping site from the area.

According to TMA sources, about 1,500 tons of garbage is dumped along the Swat River in Ogdai village on daily basis.

Tehsil nazim Ikram Khan, when contacted, said that TMA purchased a dumping ground in another area. “Once the acquisition process is completed, we will start dumping garbage there,” he said.

Published in Dawn, November 14th, 2017