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Festival under threat
Shandur must be saved from the ensuing danger of excessive tourism or else...
By Muhammad Niaz
Accessible through the mountainous terrain of Chitral and Gilgit, the picturesque Shandur pass is characterised by alpine and sub-alpine pastures, peat land and wildlife species. It offers opportunities for promotion of eco-tourism -- its extensive landscape is ideal for outdoor recreation, hiking, camping, mountaineering, photography and bird viewing, for Shandur is a staging and wintering ground to some of the migratory waterfowl. But the area is best known for the Shandur lake and the Shandur polo festival, an internationally renowned event, held in early July each year.
Though this tourist activity boosts the local economy, it leaves adverse impacts on the ecology of the area. The influx of tourists creates issues of solid waste management, water pollution, noise pollution and unregulated camping to the extent that many tourists wash their vehicles and clothes in the lake.
Last year, the Northern Alpine Wetlands Complex of Pakistan Wetlands Programme, launched a comprehensive and unique solid waste management initiative during the Shandur polo festival. It was the first ever organised attempt to hold an environment-friendly festival. Many local community members, students and tourists volunteered in the clean-up operation that collected about 4,000 kilogrammes of solid waste which was later disposed of safely. There is intense need to replicate such a solid waste collection campaign through coordinated efforts of management authorities, agencies and environment-based NGOs on regular basis.
Shandur lake is an ecosystem which has great potential for scientific research. Research of a MS student, David Johnson titled, 'Acessing the impact of Shandur Polo Festival,' in 2006 reveals that this ecosystem is threatened with eutrophication and there is need to minimise this risk.
However, there is a dire need to conduct an in-depth research on various parameters of the lake. This would not only expand horizon for enhanced awareness among various target groups but will also pave ways for many steps leading to conservation of the lake and to holding cultural events in environment-friendly ways.
Unmanaged tourism in Shandur is an ecological shock and threat to the natural beauty of the lake. A proper tourism management strategy and land use planning must be devised for Shandur polo festival in terms of zoning for car parking, camping, cooking and waste disposal. Tourists should be guided through signboards, promotional materials, guides, banners in a more systematic, comprehensive and standardised manner.
Also, there is need for better facilities such as accommodation, transport and more importantly information centres that create awareness among visitors regarding the ecological significance of the area.
The Shandur polo festival has a high probability of sustainability, provided it is held according to norms of environmentally sound management. This can only be done if there is coordination among various actors involved in organising the festival.