Staff Correspondent
CHITRAL: Growing concerns have emerged over the environmental impact of unregulated mining activities in Utrai Gol above Murdan Garam Chashma, where the use of heavy machinery such as excavators at an altitude of nearly 15,000 feet is accelerating glacier degradation and threatening local water resources.
This was stated by former MNA and PML-N leader Shahzada Iftikhar Uddin in a post on social media. He referred to a video from the area showing a local resident raising concerns over mining activity and the dumping of excavated material onto glaciers.
According to the resident, the glaciers in the area have already experienced significant melting, raising fears about the long-term impact of mining on the region’s fragile mountain ecosystem.
Shahzada Iftikhar said that the concerns are particularly significant for Murdan, which suffered extensive destruction in 2015 after flash floods. Local residents attributed the disaster to the bursting of a small glacial lake, triggering a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF).
Residents and farmers are now worried that continued mining activity could further affect water availability. They argue that the use of heavy machinery at high altitudes is disturbing the natural environment and could contribute to the rapid degradation of glaciers, which are a major source of water for downstream communities.
The situation has also raised questions about the balance between mining interests, irrigation needs and wildlife conservation.
Beyond the mining areas lies Besti, which has been designated as a wildlife conservancy. Residents and environmental advocates fear that mining activities could damage both glaciers and wildlife habitats in the Hindu Kush.
The PML-N leader called on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and relevant departments to strengthen oversight of mining operations and ensure that environmental considerations are incorporated into the granting and monitoring of mining leases.
Local communities have also raised broader concerns over the distribution of mining opportunities. According to local accounts, a large majority of lease holders are non-locals, while local prospectors often struggle to secure prospecting licences and mining leases despite being familiar with the region’s mineral resources.
There are also allegations that GPS coordinates and information about mineral discoveries made by local prospectors are sometimes passed on to outsiders, undermining the efforts of those who initially identify potential deposits.
Such claims, residents say, have contributed to growing resentment over an unfair system in which local communities receive limited economic benefits beyond manual employment.
Environmentalists and community representatives have urged the departments concerned, including the Environment and Wildlife departments, to assess the cumulative impact of mining on glaciers, water resources and wildlife habitats before further activity is allowed in ecologically sensitive areas.
They have also called on policymakers in Peshawar and Islamabad, including relevant authorities associated with the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), to take timely measures to ensure that mineral development does not come at the expense of local communities and the environment.
The issue carries implications beyond Chitral. Rapidly receding glaciers in the Hindu Kush could affect water availability for agriculture and communities downstream, potentially creating consequences far beyond Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for farmers in the fertile plains of Punjab and Sindh.
Residents and environmental advocates say urgent action is needed to prevent short-term mining gains from causing long-term damage to glaciers, water security and biodiversity in the region.
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