The Shandur plateau stretches 10 km down eastward to form the Langer valley.  Shandur Plateau is a high-altitude Wetland Ecosystem with a mesmerizing system of lakes, majestic snow-clad peaks, fairy alpine meadows, vast stretched Peat lands, and fragile and endangered flora and fauna. Many endangered species of migratory and game birds, trout fish spp., the critically endangered snow leopard, brown bear, wolf, lynx, and ibex constitute key fauna of the area.

Shandur Polo Festival is held, every year during July, in Shandur— a world’s renowned natural sporting arena situated midway between Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan. Thousands of local, national and international tourists visit the festival every year.

Snow Leopard Foundation –Pakistan (SLF-P) along with the Wildlife Department KPK and Sor Laspur Community Organization conducted a mass awareness campaign on Solid Waste Management during the Shandur Polo Festival from 29th to 31^st July 2016.

KPK Wildlife Department Official deputed in Shandur, Mr Yauqoob Shah stated that “It is not only the department’s responsibility to collect waste but it’s everybody’s moral and ethical responsibility not to spread waste even as it is extremely hazardous for the habitat. We are encouraged by the act of SLF Pakistan and the community of Sor Laspur because they have taken very timely and concrete steps for the rehabilitation of the festival area. KPK Wildlife Department always supported these environment-friendly initiatives”.

The purpose of the solid waste cleanup campaign was to create awareness among the visitors about solid waste and its impact on the habitat, lake and associated ecosystems. The participating organizations aimed at aggrandizing public participation in solid waste management. People became aware of the negative impacts of solid waste on the natural environment, the habitat and on human beings and public awareness was raised regarding the advantages of waste segregation. Awareness was raised among people, especially shopkeepers about keeping the environment clean.

Volunteers from Sor Laspur Community Development Organization, KPK Wildlife Department deputed staff and the SLF team participated in an awareness campaign, a walk and waste collection. Informational banners were installed at major entry points and key locations to guide the visitors through managing solid waste and to remain sensitive about the ecosystems. The organizers also held random group meetings with visitors and the polo organizers seeking support in the environmental initiatives taken in this remote part of the world. Mr Shah Khan, President of Sor Laspur Community Organization thanked SLF and WLD-KPK for supporting the waste management campaign and informed that “approximately 4000-6000 livestock of the local communities of Laspur Valley graze in this area and as our livelihoods depend on livestock rearing, therefore we cannot afford degradation of the habitat and pastures of the area”.

Khurshid Shah, Head of SLF Chiral office said that SLF has been implementing the livestock vaccination programs in Laspur Valley of District Chitral and Phandar Valley of District Ghizer for the last five years. This program helps communities to cope up with the mortality of livestock due to disease through training and provision of vaccines and in return, the communities support safeguarding the wildlife and associated ecosystem in their respective rangelands. Together, more than 20,000 livestock are vaccinated each year. He briefed about waste management that data collected from 2001 to 2006 and 2010-11 reveal that a total of 18, 627kg waste (average = 2,328kg/event) including biodegradable (80%) and non-biodegradable (20%) was scientifically managed by SLF team and its partners. “Shopkeepers, hoteliers and people residing in the valley were taken to the sites dumped with litter and taught about the damage caused to the environment,” he said. Shah added while the K-P wildlife department coordinates with their organization and with locals, there is an absolute dearth of adequate resources to solve the situation.” This year the estimate is around 3000 Kg

The initiative of SLF-P and its partner organizations was highly supported and appreciated by the organizers, media & participants of the festival.

Few Media Links:

www.tribune.com.pk/story/1166081/valley-jeopardy-counting-environmental-cost-tourism