Following a unfortunate tragedy in Swat river, the district administration has now banned all types of mining near Swat river.
An anti-encroachment operation will start tomorrow morning. A similar operation was held a month ago. Officials say there will be no leniency this time.
Rescue teams will be given modern equipment. This includes drones to help with search and rescue work.
According to experts, unchecked sand and and gravel mining near Swat River has led to destruction of its ecosystem and altered the river’s natural course.
Environmentalists, local farmers, and tourists had raised alarms in previous years urging the provincial government to clamp down on unfettered anti-environmental steps.
Swat has witnessed a devastating tragedy after sudden flash floods claimed several lives and left families in grief.
Locals, civil society members, and political figures gathered in large numbers for a powerful Swat protest along the banks of the Swat River, demanding answers and accountability from the government.
The protestors voiced their frustration, saying they were unable to save those stranded in the river due to the absence of proper emergency services.
They declared that if the district administration and the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa did not resign, a countrywide protest movement would soon follow.
The Swat protest came after a group of 18 people was swept away by a sudden flash flood near Ji Qurban Hotel on the Swat Bypass.
While rescue teams managed to save three individuals and recover six bodies, nine remain missing.
The tragedy has exposed severe gaps in the province’s flood management and emergency response.
