Faiza Tehseen

The residents of Cho-Tron – a remote village in the mineral-rich Shigar subdivision of Skardu district, Gilgit-Baltistan known for its geothermal springs – live an awful life during the winter season [mid-Oct-mid-April] subsisting on the reserved food. Winter simply spells disaster for the local people until it thaws, reports WealthPK.

As the temperatures plummet and snowfall descends on this impoverished village in steady sheets, the roads thicken with snow bringing all economic activities – mountaineering, tourism, herding or mining, etc – to a halt.

During this extreme weather, local people consume the food reserves and slip into the geothermal springs at night to keep themselves warm, as they can’t afford the costly fuel to keep their homes cozy and warm.

Talking to WealthPK, Bahadur Ali Salik, a journalist from Gilgit-Baltistan, confirmed this miserable state of the residents of Cho-Tron [a Balti word meaning hot water]. Salik said there is a dire need for bringing education and awareness to this remote village. Both segments are important keeping in view the conditions the local people live in,’’ he said.

Talking to WealthPK, Director of the Veterinary Research Institute, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Dr. Pervaiz Shah said, “For a sustainable livelihood, livestock rearing is the most suitable economic activity in the rural areas. The diverse climate of Northern Areas is suitable for rearing different species of livestock. Since the agricultural land in the area is scarce and unable to meet the local needs, the migration rate is high i.e. about 41%.

In order to improve the socio-economic condition of the people, there is a dire need to help them switch from primitive herding to the genetically-edited cattle which are more weather and disease-resistant. Experimentation has been ongoing on to develop the genetically-modified breeds of Kerai sheep, Agari goat and Gabrali and Achai cows (a cross breed of Jersey cattle and Achai cow.”

In a discussion with WealthPK about the miserable condition of Cho-Tron people, Information Technology network manager from the Higher Education Commission, Islamabad, Saeed Habib Ullah said, “I myself belong to Gulabpur, Shigar. The people living there are too poor to afford a comfortable life.

It is true that geothermal springs act like fountains of life for them, especially during the winter season. Before moving to the hot water, they apply apricot kernel oil/ lanolin extracted from the sheep wool (local herding) to keep their skins safe from the effects of geothermal water. Business awareness campaigns about the fish and poultry farming, lapidary, canning of fruits and seeds, etc are badly needed.’’

In a discussion with WealthPK about the mineralogy of Shigar valley, Principal Geologist at the Global Mining Company, Islamabad, and former general manager of geology at the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation (PMDC) Muhammad Yaqub Shah said, “The field of pegmatitic bodies in Shigar valley is rich in emerald, aquamarine, tourmaline (schorl), green fluorite, garnet, fluorapatite, epidote, goshenite, morganite quartz, and colorless to yellow topaz, etc.’’

When asked why the people of this area were so poor despite an abundance of mineral wealth, he said the local people could not afford the mining cost.

“Mining without proper safety measures is a risky business. They get mining royalties but the payments are too little to live a comfortable life. Mostly, they rely on livestock, and in rare cases on the income of a family member working outside the area or abroad. People, especially women, can be trained for lapidary here to make their ends meet during the winter season,’’ said Yaqub.

Asked why lithium-rich geothermal springs were not exploited for the socioeconomic betterment of the area people, he said no plan has been developed and no survey conducted yet in this regard. Lithium extraction can generate economic activities promising a wealth of job opportunities.

Talking to WealthPK, gemmologist and miner Zakir Ullah alias Jhulay Lal said, “Women in Shigar can be trained in lapidary. They can complete their orders when the snow chokes the roads and brings other economic activities to a halt. Like women in Jaipur India, they can adopt it as a cottage industry. This will help improve their income sources. In Hunza area of GB, a great number of women are involved in lapidary and they are earning handsomely.”

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk