Kahoon valley turning into next Tharparkar

Kahoon valley, which was once known as the most scenic place of Punjab, is now turning into the next Tharparkar at a rapid pace as the underground water level is depleting at the rate of 50 feet per annum due to heavy turbines of some cement factories and shortage of rainfalls in the region.
This was emerged during several meetings with a number of locals, including Hindu community, with a delegation of Lahore-based journalists, who recently visited several villages of Chakwal district which was organised by Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBF).
They expressed that they are facing immense issues of health, shortage of water, diseases in both animals and human and ruining of religious sites etc. due to the cement factories. The Hindu community members expressed similar views and not only held responsible cements factories for destroying environment of the valley but also for depleting their sacred pond at the Katas Raj Temples.
Hammad Sher Afghan, resident of Dalail Pur village, claimed that his four out of five children are suffering from Asthma and other infections. "Almost 66 percent children living in this locality are victim of Asthma or chest infection mainly because of the pollution emitting from various cement factories.
There are immense health problems," he said, adding that Kahoon valley was once known as little Kashmir but now it is turning into the "Tharparkar". In a week, he said at least two to three blasts are carried out by cement factories to extract limestone from the valley, resulting into prominent cracks on the walls of various homes.
Muhammad Saeed, resident of Malkana village, said they used to cultivate wheat on 20 acres of land through water courses but now they are finding it difficult as the water level has significantly decreased due to heavy water bores of the cement factories.
Muhammad Banaras, 48, father of three minors, said that the water of Malkana village is depleting. "Our animals are dying and we do not know what to do," he said.
"Before the establishment of factories in the area, the water depth was 120 feet and now it has reduced to 402 feet. Boring is expensive and we do not have sufficient money to get it done over and over again as a single bore measuring 100 feet depth costs us at least Rs 100,000 each," said Abdul Jalil from Badshahpur. The water table is reducing 50 feet per year, he claimed.
Nisar Ahmad, another Badshahpur resident, said they complained several times to MNA Tahir Iqbal and MPA Tanveer Ahmed Sethi about their issues but they paid no heed. He said the waste is brought from Lahore and other cities here on 22 wheelers which create breathing issues in the vicinity. He apprehended that this will be the next Tharparkar as there is no clean water to drink.
Waseem Ahmed Raja, an active social activist of the area, claimed that the cement factories had acquired 37,000 acres of land illegally. He further claimed that no cement factory had even got Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report which was mandatory for the establishment of such firms.
A property dealer from Wahula village, Khizar Hayat, said: "We have to purchase water tankers and each of them costs us Rs 1000. It only lasts for two to three days," he said.
"Our livestock get sick and sometimes even dye after they eat grass covered with hazardous dust emitted from the cement factories," said another villager, Muhammad Yousaf.
"In Tatral village, the cement factories burn tyres for energy purposes. When the cement plants cool down, they create immense noise, mainly at night. In 2004, terrorism cases were registered against the people who protested against the construction of such plants," said Ejaz Malik, another villager.
On the other hand, Member District Council, Chakwal, Ravindar Kumar Chibbar told the delegation, "Katas Raj Temples are losing their religious sanctity, particularly for the Hindu community, after the Punjab government following the Supreme Court's order laid down a water pipeline to refill its sacred pond which had been dried depleted due to heavy turbines of cement factories."
"This place, especially the pond, was considered among one of the most sacred places for the Hindu community living across the world, but now it is losing its sanctity after its depletion by a nearby cement factory and the water pipeline to refill our sacred pond "artificially," Chibbar said.