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Anish Gareth is a small village in the Hunza Valley. There are 180 households. Most of its inhabitants follow agriculture. The channel, which is the most important source of drinking water, is being contaminated near hotels and restaurant mushrooming and climate -causing climate causing climate due to direct drainage and municipal waste.
Boys Middle School Geniash Garlith students experienced similar health issues. When Nilofar Shaheen took charge a year ago, he was surprised to know that drinking water was very low and often unsafe.
According to Shaheen, “the water was extremely dirty and contaminated. The children drank the water, because it was the only source available to them.”
Shaheen also saw videos circulating on social media about a damaged sewerage line that was polluting the water channel that provided water to his school. After that, he tried to avoid drinking water from the school supply.
“It was common for students to have water -borne diseases, such as hepatitis and typhoid. The attendance of the students was being affected,” Shaheen said.
The Ganesh Garyalith Local Support Organization contacted the WWF with a request for assistance from the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan Hanza Office, said Ehsanullah, in-charge, Ehsanullah said.
The Pakistan program demanded a feasibility study by WWF-PP through the accountability of its water resources. Samples taken from the school were found heavy contaminated. Pollutions included high dirt, e -coli and an unhealthy patch. Water was found ineligible for human use.
It was decided to set up a gravel -based water filtration plant to supply clean drinking water to the school as well as the households.
Installing a gravel -based water filtration unit to improve water quality in areas that are limited to clean water is a practical and sustainable solution, where the natural filtration system is preferred. This type of filtration system uses the natural properties of gravel to effectively remove some impurities from suspended solid, sesame and water. The gravel -based filtration unit costs about Rs 1.8 million. It does not require electricity or moving parts. It makes it ideal for remote and low -income areas.
The Directorate of Education provided land for the plant. In December last year, the plant started supplying water to schools and villagers.
Water samples have been taken from the school as well as the village and the environmental protection agency analysis has revealed that the water is meeting the EPA’s default standards.
The local community has been handed over to the local community to ensure stability.
Shaheen says, “The students are happy because they now get safe drinking water. The attendance of the students has improved significantly. I am happy to see them coming regularly at school.”
Shaheen has highlighted a major challenge that has led to the availability of water in Hanza. She says, “In Karimabad, there are many hotels and restaurants near the water channel through which our school is supplied.
Ashanullah, a WWF-Pakistan-based Pakistan, says the population growth has increased the situation. He says Hanza does not have such environmental resources for the needs of the local population as well as tourists.
According to Ehsanullah, “Since there was a shortage of safe drinking water in this village, WWF-Pakistan has provided separate water taps to the community. The school gets water from 8am to 2pm. This community gets water from 10am to 2pm.”
Before the construction of the filtration plant, the children used to drink contaminated water, said Jahangir, an eighth -grade student. She says, “The situation was bad. Water was very low and we used to bring water from home. Since water supply was not better for the community, we were still suffering from water -borne diseases.
“I, myself, caused pain in a supplement, my sister Faiza Jahangir was kidnapped due to drinking water from school,” says Afa.
She says that after December 2024, when the filtration plant became operational, school children are not suffering from water -caused diseases. “We keep ourselves hydrated,” says horizon.
According to Nadra Parveen, a member of the Geneesh Gareth LSO, “villagers had drank drinking water from the ages. The incidence of water -causing water diseases increased in the water streams.”
Parveen says he is suffering from supplementation due to drinking contaminated water. She says that this treatment will cost Rs 80,000.
“There are about 160 households in Ganesh Garratth. Of these, 80 of them take water from the filtration plant. To meet the needs of the entire village, we are requesting the government to install similar water filtration plants in our village. Hanza will be saved from other villages.”
“We have installed eight grains based water filtration plants in Gilgit Baltistan schools under the rap project,” said Ahanullah. This technique is effective and reliable at cost. “
Hanza’s Gravel Water Filtation Plant in Ganesh Garlath has been a success story that faces poor water quality challenge. At the same time, tourism and hospitality should be made regular and waste water recycling must be made mandatory.
Author is a PhD student at George Mason University. He is an international award -winning environmental journalist. Its X -handle: @Sudambukar. It can be arrived at Smabubakar@hotmail.com.
