Window to Gilgit-Baltistan

By   Syed Shamsuddin AT PLACES where urbanization is getting rapidly underway and in the absence or near absence of any urban planning, myriad problems emerge that  cumulatively affect human health together with taking a great toll on the overall environment. These long unattended challenges caused thus are always hard to be tackled at a belated stage with one go id est by ordinary means, in a scientific manner. In such a pathetic landscape, the increasing waste being produced by the rising population comes to the center stage as chief concern viewed in terms of public health. A prudent planning needs to be carried out to come to grips with these challenges effectively and scientifically for a salubrious change to happen. It is to be seen that the pristine glorious state of Gilgit - the provincial metropolis of Gilgit-Baltistan - once a tranquil habitat of simple farming communities until 1960s - was marred by an unplanned handling of the affairs blighting it as it was all...

By   Syed Shamsuddin   THERE CAN BE no gainsaying the fact that in the present era, horrific demographic phenomena are being witnessed all across what is called the Developing World. Pakistan being one of them, is experiencing a litany of very complex and exasperating situations as the direct outcome of and stemming from unplanned urbanization which have overtime, kept exacerbating as populations kept surging with ferocity and concentration humans taking place so haphazardly, sans proper and effective urban planning. This eventual hodge-podge urbanism without any careful planning oft-results into dire situations in all localities shorn of adequate open spaces, public parks, direly needed green belts, sidewalks - posing great dangers to health of the respective communities, Gilgit city being a classic example in Gilgit-Baltistan. Admittedly, those living in an environment offering qualitatively better conditions discernibly have a better outlook in juxtaposition to those inhabi...