The lush valley of Swat is famous for its snow-capped mountain sceneries, pastures, meadows and greenery all around. Swat is not only known for its majestic valleys and natural beauty, but it has been an important centre of Gandhara civilization. There are almost 400 sacred ancient Buddhist sites scattered in the valley.
With such rich historical heritage Swat is the centre of attraction for tourists across the globe. Lower Swat is celebrated for its historical landmarks, cultural treasures and archeological sites whereas upper Swat is famous for its natural mesmerizing beauty and tranquil ambiance. There are tourists’ spots, fancy hotels and markets in the whole of Tehsil Bahrain which comprises 60 percent of the area of District Swat. This tehsil is famous for its multilingual population and tall mountains coverec with pine trees, lakes, streams and above all the largest river of Swat, the River Swat.
River Swat originates in the lap of the Hindukush from glaciers in the high valleys of Swat like Gabral, Ushu, Makiyal, and Shetangoot. However, it is mainly formed at the junction of Gabral and Ushu rivers in Kalam. There are many small rivers all over Swat, but the most famous of them is the Swat. Flowing throughout the valley, the Swat irrigates almost 160,000 acres of agricultural land, and finally falls into the Kabul at Attock Khurd. The name of the valley has been named after the word Suvastu (Sanskrit name) meaning ‘river of clear blue waters’. Thus, the river has vital historical and cultural significance. It also plays an important role in the beauty of Swat as most of the tourists flood the valley due to the fresh wavering water of the Swat.
Recently, the river has been under a risk of pollution and contamination due to the excessive hotels and other buildings built at the bank of the river. The rising population, tourists’ thrown garbage and flash flooding also pose grave threats to the river’s health. But the most serious threat is three different hydropower projects designed to be constructed at this river between Madyan and Kalam. The whole area of almost 50 km will have tunnels and river Swat water will be flowing through these tunnels.
These hydropower projects under PEDO, an independent power producing company, are designed to build a tunnel in Kalam and open it in Asrait where a powerhouse will be located. Fr,om Asrait it will be diverted into another tunnel which will be opened near Kedam. A powerhouse will be in Kedam as well. The third tunnel is supposed to be built in Kedam, diverting most of the river into this tunnel and it will be opened in Kalagay near Madyan. This means all the way from Madyan to Kalam river Swat will be flowing into a tunnel and there will be no water in the river especially during wintertime as most of the water in winter reduces in the river.
It will have great repercussions for the local economy as well as the environment. The river flowing through invisible tunnels will attract no tourists to the hotels built at these places, including Bahrain town which is the geographical centre of the valley and has many hotels and markets for tourists. There are several tourists points and hotels in Laikot, Pushmal, Mankiyal and Kedam, which due to the water’s divergence will be of no attraction for the visitors. Moreover, most of the locals migrate to cities in search of livelihood and return in summer as there are plenty of job opportunities in the hotel industry and in agriculture but due to the havoc of these hydropower projects they will not come back to their land and may live the town forever. According to a survey almost 12,000 locals have already left this area due to insuffidient opportunities of work.
The environment and biodiversity will be impacted in many ways. Due to less water in winters, there will be no life in the river. Smells and garbage in the otherwise beautifully flowing river at this area will be all that is left. The famous trout fish will vanish from this region. Temperature in the region might increase with water being turned into the tunnels.
During peak hours, the country had a 25-26000 MW electricity generation demand however there is already 41500 MW installed capacity. The state must regulate this electricity generation ensuring efficiency and transparency, curtail electricity theft and reorganize the distribution system instead of building other big projects at the cost of indigenous and already marginalized communities’ resources. Moreover, this money can be used on building wind energy or solar energy plants or on dams in unpopulated valleys of the highlands. Depriving indigenous communities of their history and river makes no sense especially when they oppose the construction of such projects.
The authorities have not consulted the local population in the development of these projects. The directly impacted people have been appeased by promises that they will be compensated for their lands but the rest of the population has strong reservations and not even been invited to the process.
That’s why they have been staging protests and rejecting these hydropower projects. So far, several meetings of the elders, social activists, lawyers and students have been carried out against these projects under a movement known as Darya Bachao movement.
On August 23, a protest was staged against Pedo and the government in Bahrain Bazar, Yhousands of people gathered and chanted. “save Swat, save river”, “PEDO SHEDO Namanzoor” (we reject Pedo shedo projects). Elders and leaders addressed the crowd and emphasized their commitment to saving the river at any cost. They said they will continue to protest in the future if the government didn’t back down from these projects.
All the locals are on the same page regarding the rejection of these hydropower projects. They say they will not allow these hydropower projects as they pose serious detrimental effects to tourism, disturb biodiversity, will cause environmental degradation, and ruin the beauty of the valley.
Upper Swat is facing a form of neo-colonization. Many industrialists have bought lands from the locals and have constructed hotels and other commercial buildings. These locals have been appeased by giving them jobs for some time in the places being built on their former lands. Then the locals are expelled, and they do not have anything except doing labour but in the winters, and they don’t get that as well.
Afterwards, left with no option, they migrate to cities leaving behind their culture, language, people and land forever. Now these hydropower projects have the same motives. Some families have been placated at the cost of the rest of the valley but in the end, they will also lose whatever portion of land they have. And will have no option but to migrate and leave their ancestors’ land forever.
Therefore, now it is high time for the authorities to render an eye to the sufferings of people in the upper regions of Swat. They do not have education, healthcare, infrastructure or other facilities. Bahrain valley has no college, or girls’ school even in 20 km. There is no middle school for girls between Bahrain and Kalam. Secondary education is just a dream for the people of Bahrain valley.
Healthcare depicts the same desperate picture. The ravages of the 2010 floods can still be seen in Cham, Gharai, Pushmal and Ramait. The 2021 and 2022 floods have further ruined the infrastructure of the valley. However the government has turned a deaf ear to such voices as called for developmental projects.
In the USA almost a hundred years ago constructed dams were abolished, and the water was diverted back to its natural route. Indigenous communities were given back their rivers whereas in Pakistan it is the other way around. If the state cannot help bringing development to the area and increasing tourism capacity by spending on parks and other tourist points in Swat, it should not deprive the people of these areas of the river Swat since it has a vital place in their cultural and historical identity.
During peak hours, the country had a 25-26000 MW electricity generation demand however there is already 41500 MW installed capacity. The state must regulate this electricity generation ensuring efficiency and transparency, curtail electricity theft and reorganize the distribution system instead of building other big projects at the cost of indigenous and already marginalized communities’ resources. Moreover, this money can be used on building wind energy or solar energy plants or on dams in unpopulated valleys of the highlands. Depriving indigenous communities of their history and river makes no sense especially when they oppose the construction of such projects.
