Surviving climatic chaos | Political Economy

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Summer holidays mean happiness and relief that ended in a heart break for a group of tourists from Sialkot, when a flicker flood increased in the beautiful valley of the valley on June 27.

The group of 17 arrived at the Hill Station to enjoy its cold weather and strange landscapes, which was unaware of the danger that was to come forward. While four were rescued by emergency teams, the rest were swept away by violent streams.

Among the missing was a young man named Abdullah.

For 21 days, his friends, family and local rescue teams hollowed out the area in hope of a miracle. The hope ended near the Tarot Tehsil, where Rescue 1122 personnel eventually recovered his body from the rivers.

“We found the body and shared photos on social media for immediate identification,” said Waqar Ahmed, a local station in -charge. “A friend who was lagging behind in Swat recognized the shirt he wore. We found out that he was Abdullah.”

For Abdullah’s family, the news closed – but not peace.

One relative said, “It should have been a safe, pleasant journey.” We never thought it would end like this. “

Repeated disasters

Swat, known for natural beauty and cultural wealth, has rapidly become a hotspot for climate disaster. This region is not a stranger to the flood. In 2010, mass floods destroyed homes, schools and roads. In 2022, the disaster attacked once again – with more ferrity at the moment.

This year, the volume of water in the Swat River increased to 246,392 cusecs – which has been recorded the most. Twenty -eight people lost their lives and dozens of bridges, hotels and homes were washed away. About 80 kilometers of road infrastructure was destroyed, causing paralyzed transport and tourism, which is the backbone of the local economy.

The economic result

The economic cost was amazing. According to the Agriculture Department, according to the cultivated land of 110,579 acres of land in Swat, more than 15,000 acres of floods were flooded or otherwise it was useless. The crops worth billions of rupees were lost.

In Matalton, the loss was personal for farmers like Gul Zaman.

“We had only a growing weather,” he said. The flood destroyed everything. ” “Even where some of the crops survived, there was no way to move the crop to the market.”

The fishing sector also suffered widespread losses. A total of 237 hatchery – public and private – were gone. In Madyan alone, the government -administered trout hatchry reported a loss of only Rs 250 million. The total losses in this sector are estimated at Rs 1.36 billion.

A strategy emerges

The Swat District Administration has developed a climate reconciliation project aimed at creating flexibility in very weak areas. The project includes construction of small reservoirs, or “maintaining ponds” in mountainous areas like Bahrain tehsils.

Assistant Commissioner Junaid Iftab said, “These ponds are designed to prevent rain water, recharge ground water and slow flow, which causes flash floods.”

“A normal pond is 10 feet tall, 5 feet wide and 2-3 feet deep, though its size may vary by the region,” he said. “The idea is to make them wherever – as long as the location supports the retention of water, on fertile or mixed ground.”

“This is a critical environmental system,” said an environmental adviser working on climate flexibility in northern Pakistan. “Small changes in temperature or rain samples have major consequences here. We’re already watching it.”

So far, more than a dozen ponds have been completed. The target is 150 in the first phase. The project is being implemented in collaboration with the Municipal Administration (TMA), irrigation department and local civil society organizations. If successful, officials say it can be moved beyond the province and beyond.

“These ponds are a small solution to a major problem.” This is a start. “

Changing the weather

The project has emerged among the growing evidence of changing climate patterns in the region. According to the Iftab, the cold that lasts for six to seven months is now significantly low.

“Snowfall has decreased by 30 percent,” he said. The summer is getting longer. “

Officials believe that water in these ponds can produce local microcklamites – through growing vapors, which can cause rain, and help snow in cold months.

Local sounds

Local communities have cautiously welcomed the effort. Bahrain’s residential resident Shah Muhammad Khan said that the first is the first serious attempt that has seen in decades to remove environmental collapse.

“We have seen our mountains changing,” he said. “The floods in 2010 and 2022 destroyed the entire village. The forests that served as natural barriers are ending. “

Khan not only accused the climate change but also checked the forest harvesting and fast, non -planned construction.

“Woods are being cleaned for wood or for the construction of houses. When you remove the trees, you remove the protection. That’s why the flood is now bad.”

They believe that maintaining pools may make a difference – but only if strict environmental implementation is supported.

“We can’t plant anything and dig some ponds, then we cut the forests on the other side,” he said. “We need a complete strategy.”

A delicate balance

Experts say that Swat, once called Switzerland of Pakistan, is one of the country’s most sensitive areas.

When Swat is facing these challenges, Abdullah’s death has exceeded personal loss. It is a tragic reminder that the environment for both locals and tourists has become an unexpected and dangerous.

For those living in these valleys, adopting this new reality is no longer optional – it’s a matter of survival

Waqar Ahmed Swati is an independent journalist from Swat District. He is a PhD scholar in media and widespread communication. He reports about the environment, human rights, education and elections. It can be arrived at waqar.swaty93@gmail.com