CAMAT [Chitral Association for Mountain Area Tourism] celebrated Worldwide Day for Responsible Tourism, June 2nd, 2009, in Mountain Inn, Chitral town with a goal to create awareness about “Tourism and Water Resources: Impacts, Responsibilities and Solutions with a Future”. Scholars, religious leadership, NGO representatives, members of Kalash and Khow communities presented papers on the following themes: • The impacts of tourism development on water resources
•Without water no tourism is possible
•How to preserve and enhance water resources e.g. lake, ocean, river, waterfalls etc. by responsible tourism development? •Can responsible tourism development help improving accessibility for people with drinking water?
•Tourism in the light of Islamic teachings
Problems of water pollution highlighted and concerns about receding glaciers in the Hindukush region were recorded. It was stressed that lakes, springs, streams, rivers and glaciers must be protected in order to showcase northern Pakistan as an attractive tourist destination in the future. If water resources are degraded, then the very basis of tourism will be undermined and serious healthcare issues involving jaundice, typhoid and diarrhea etc will surface in the host communities. Thus major responsibilities, as the forum pointed out, lie with tourism institutions, hotel owners, transporters, guides and other primary tourism stakeholders, who must fall in love with nature and work with a clear goal to protect it.
The host communities in the Hindukush region—in keeping with the pre-Islamic tradition—have to revisit the concept of ‘purity’ associated with high altitude and make it an integral part of the present-day ecotourism ethics. This traditional practice still exists amongst the indigenous Kalash communities. It is based on the fact that water flows to low land from high altitude and hence ‘upland’ is ‘pure’ not to be desecrated by ‘impure’ practices of material and non-material ‘pollution’.
Eco-hoteling is an essential component of tourism industry and construction of big structures on the river banks have to be discouraged or else workable measures should be introduced to check the flow of untreated sewerage water into the Chitral River and its tributaries upland. Hoteliers, tour guides, drivers and the diverse array of tourism stakeholders have to be trained in water protection courses and the wider communities have to be mobilized for the purpose. The message that there is an inseparable link between sustainable tourism and clean water resources has to be shared with the public through educational institutions, mosques/Jamat Khanas and other social infrastructures.
Apart from economic and social benefits, tourism facilitates people to people contact and encourages cross-cultural understanding and fosters friendship worldwide. It also reinforces the doctrine of universalism amongst people of different regions, casts and religions. From economic standpoint, nevertheless, tourism can be viewed as the biggest job providing sector, where Pakistan is particularly lagging behind in claiming its share, owing to the lack of clear vision and direction.
The forum highlighted that Islam encouraged tourism. Traveling is considered a necessary condition to observe the manifestations of nature undisputedly in line of what we call ‘ecotourism’ today. Besides, hospitality, peace, friendship, care for fellow human beings and helping others are also vital guiding principles of Islam contributing to the ethics of present day tourism industry. Islam teaches that water is a single most responsible factor for the creation of the earth, human life and a wide range of other organisms here. Hence it is a religious obligation of the communities in the Muslim societies to ensure cleanliness of water that amounts to taking care of the sustainability of human life on earth.

Recommendations •Water resources—springs, lakes, streams, rivers and glaciers—are as precious as oil and its value increases with every passing year. The sustainable flow of clean streams and rivers is of paramount importance to run the wheel of economy. Clean water ensure hygiene condition and life standard of any destination, its flora and fauna and living organisms. However, it is worth noting that for conservation of water resources we have to protect our ecology and the dwindling forest belt by providing alternative construction material and fuel at a reduced price. A healthy ecosystem guarantees sustainable flow of streams, rivers and springs. •Regular awareness sessions on conservation of water resources have to be organized to update tourism stakeholders and the wider public on the condition of rivers, streams and springs and its impacts on aquatic and human life. A regular monitoring system, through documentaries, case studies and photography could be helpful. . •Training courses for tourism stakeholders and community members on water related issues e.g. waste disposal in the fragile ecological destination such as Kalash valleys, Shandur plateau, Terich valley, Gobor and Broghil shall be organized and a system of environment evaluation with major focus on water conservation should be made part of school curriculum and major training courses on environment and tourism. •The lake of Shandur is shrinking over the years. This, the experts relate to the waste being dumped into the lake during the Shandur festival every year. Thus proper research to identify the responsible factors leading to the contraction of the Shandur Lake has to be conducted. This will help prepare a strategy to reverse the situation. •Glaciers in the Hindukush region are constantly receding and sources of spring, river and lake are drying up. Unusual floodings, soil erosions and erratic climatic conditions are being experienced due to global warming. The case in point is the village of Sonoghor, which was completely inundated and destroyed when the glacier above the village exploded and formed into a massive flooding unmatched in the history of the region. To deal with these issues, case studies on global warming and its impacts on the region are called for. Photography, documentaries and documentation of the Traditional Indigenous Knowledge [TIK] are recommended and shared with the broader communities. •Education and awareness on water system and its relation with organisms on earth and its importance for ecotourism should be instilled in the mind of student right from the primary class. •Union council-based laws intended to look after water resources should be legislated in the district assembly. Brochures, pamphlets and booklets should be made available at the Union Council level in the entire Chitral district. •Mosque/Jamat Khanas and other social institutions can be harnessed to disseminate information on water resources and to conserve it in the light of Islamic teachings. Islam forbids wastage of water resources. To this end, major responsibilities lie with religious leadership.
•The principle of eco-hoteling has to be made part of tourism ethics in northern Pakistan and construction of big structures on the river banks should be discouraged or else effective measure to check the flow of untreated sewerage water into the Chitral River should be devised.
•Measures to control waste on high altitude have to be given high priority. Guides, porters, drivers and tourists need to be sensitized on sanctity of streams, rivers, springs, lakes, glaciers, camping sites and base camps and these resources must not be polluted at any cost. •To protect river systems from silting and contamination, special attention needs to be focused on the sites of new road constructions where mud and rocks are bulldozed into the river and the tributary nullahs in the side valleys. This threatens dams and aquatic life.
The most prominent participant of the seminar was Col [Rtd] Prince Khushwaqt ul Mulk, 96, who actively contributed. We love you Prince Khushwaqt, treasure you inputs and thank you for participation.

Major [Rtd] GD Langlands, 93, Principal Langlands School & College was another prominent participant. He presided over the session and shed light on tourism's impacts on natural resources with focus on water resources. We love you Sir GD Langlands and thank you for participation.