Unchecked hotel boom pushing Hunza to ecological collapse: GBEPA

GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan Environmental Protection Agency (GBEPA) has issued a dire warning over the unchecked proliferation of hotels in Hunza, cautioning that unregulated construction and improper waste disposal are pushing the district toward an “imminent environmental disaster.”

In a letter addressed to Forest, Wildlife, and Environment Secretary, GBEPA Director Khadim Hussain highlighted severe ecological and public health risks stemming from the tourism boom in Karimabad, and the Ganish areas of Hunza.

Hussain said that during his recent visit to Hunza, he witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of unregulated hotel infrastructure on the region’s ecosystem. “The rapid proliferation of hotels without consideration for the area’s carrying capacity has led to severe environmental degradation,” reads the letter.

The letter reveals that 90 per cent of hotels discharge untreated sewage into the Hunza River—the primary water source for drinking and agriculture—through TMS-managed wastewater disposal, which is insufficient and outdated, contaminating water channels and Hunza River.

Also read: Hunza admin lifts controversial hotel restrictions after backlash

“The situation is likely to lead to outbreaks of waterborne diseases like typhoid and viral hepatitis, posing a significant risk to local communities and tourists,” reads the letter.

Beyond water contamination, the GBEPA director flagged rising air pollution due to heavy reliance on diesel-powered generators by hotels. The combined environmental degradation, he warned, could “render the area uninhabitable” and devastate Hunza’s tourism industry if left unchecked.

Hussain said if the situation continues unchecked the region’s reputation and tourism industry would be severely impacted.

He recommended an immediate halt construction of new hotels without wastewater treatment facilities or proper approvals.

“Impose a 5-year moratorium on further hotel construction to allow for environmental assessments and infrastructure development in accordance with the carrying capacity of the area,” he added.

The GBEPA director requested the secretary to take up this critical issue with the concerned quarters. “The future of Hunza’s ecosystem, public health, and tourism industry depends on prompt and effective measures,” Hussain added.