The Unsung Story of Chino Baba and the Wetland

Little way down the lane from the main Kabal road at the lower end of Kanju village lies a small graveyard. Entering it the first site you behold is a tomb, with the headstone on the grave reads, "Chino Baba son of Sultan Mehmoud Ghaznavi", the great Muslim conqueror, also known as 'idol smasher in history.' 

  

Home of Springs:

How it gets the name, the picturesque resort in itself tells the entire story. The Pashto term, "Chino", has been derived from 'chiney', which means springs of water and "Baba", is the saint resting there almost in the middle of the mountains above and River Swat down it.

Wetland Natural Beauty:

The picturesque resort was just an example of wetland natural beauty. Unfortunately, like any other site of the scenic Swat Valley, its splendor can be found in the ruins of lost luster. Situated in Kanju area of Swat Valley, it was blessed with a model ecosystem in the form of abundant natural resources—the springs, trees, wild fruits, greener pastures, sprawling paddy fields, bunches of flowers, birds and insects. It created a unique and captivating landscapes by the interplay of water, vegetation, and wildlife. Its vibrant ecosystems teemed with biodiversity and its areas were vital for wildlife and served as critical water filtration systems. Water Fowls and marshhens were the special features of the area besides birds and insects of various kinds and colours.

Natural Swimming Pools:

The water from the springs combined with the stream from Sham Baba mountains to add to its water and made natural swimming pools on its way down until it met River Swat at the lower end. The stream was lined up with trees and grass patches around it that made picnic spots at various points. The lively swimming pools received the children in wild excitement, as they flocked to the resort, jumped into the mud of marshes from nearby trees and played there until they were exhausted and gathered at the swimming pools, plummeted in and out in its water. The weary peasants also joined them after the hard labour in the paddy fields. The elderly ones mostly took a bath in the shallow swimming pools at the mouth of the springs. They drank from the crystal clear water out of the palms of their hands, and breathed deeply in gratitude to acknowledge the ultimate creator for this special gift. Moreover, the marshy land offered a variety of stuff to the dwellers and aquatic lives. It provided food/fruits and shelter to them. The locals caught fishes in the stream and collected various kinds of fruits and wood. They also came for hunting and enjoyed picnics at the weekends. 

Unraveling the Decline of this Ecological Gem of Swat:

This home of springs gradually met an unfortunate end. The resort fell victim to  various contaminations due to the eco-unfriendly practices. Its freshwater was polluted by the introduction of wastes. The spot and its upper catchments through the mountains of Sham Baba  were cleared from trees. The stream water was reduced almost to the nil. Wildlife habitats were disrupted by disturbing the nesting and breeding grounds of most of the animals. 

Pollution and Inadequate Waste Management:

Pollution and inadequate waste management systems turned it into wasteland in most of its parts. The water from the stream is now full of toxic chemicals. It has been contaminated with runoff from nearby farms and waste from landfills and streets. In some cases, people are dumping waste into the stream without realizing its implications on the water quality. Besides, the stream has been encroached upon by the owners of nearby houses, even closing the ways the public used to go the marshland in the past. 

Waste Marble Powder:

What is more taking undue advantage of the water resources, marble factories mushroomed in he area. The waste marble powder (WMP) in large patches directly entered the precious water resources and accumulated in the stream therefrom. Thus the unfiltered marble powder, produced as a byproduct in tons and remained undisposed due to the lack of innovative techniques to recycle them, imposed serious threats to the ecosystem, physical, chemical and biological components of the environment, bringing an unfortunate end to the natural swimming pools and the fishes and other aquatic lives.

Massive extinctions:

Gone are the days a gesture of happiness covered the length of the faces of children as they dipped into the sweet water of the swimming pools. The wild lovers heaved a sigh of relief from the tenacious grip of life when they tended to unwind themselves by submerging into the depth of nature. They drank from the rejuvenated sounds and sights and became one with nature. Remnant of mega flora and fauna were shoved violently towards extinction.