Chitral's wetland resources highlighted

Report Bashir Hussain Azad, Chitral

Shahzada Ibrahim Pirzada, the chairperson of NCCB, has said Chitral is full of wetlands and Ramsar convention is more important for us than other parts of Pakistan. Chitral is rich in terms of lakes, ponds or fast-flowing rivers, marshes, peat lands, flood plains and mangrove forests etc., and these wetlands play a very important role in benefitting human being, plants, animals besides providing a congenial and suitable environment to all of the living things on the earth.
Pirzada regretted that nowwWetlands are being degraded and destroyed for many reasons. They are changed into farmland or house projects or converted into water reservoirs for hydropower dams. They are also at risk of pollution, dumping of solid wastes at their corners and sides and using of pesticides. In return, due to bad effects and destruction to the wetlands all living things die out. Fish and marine forests and other useful insects die out and migratory birds have to find new breeding grounds for their rehabilitation.Pirzadha made a request to the government agencies, NGOs and representatives of civil society at all levels of the community to come forward to preserve the wetlands and natural resources of Chitral and he appreciated the Pakistan Wetlands Programme for their activities in Chitral and hope for further expansion and strengthen of these initiated programs.