Daily Times

The government has been advised to introduce Solar Water Heating (SWH) system in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) to meet the heating energy needs of the people and to sustain tourism in the region.

According to the latest research on solar water heating for sustainable tourism in northern Pakistan conducted by the US-Pakistan Centre for Advanced Studies in Energy (USPCAS-E) at the National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST), the freezing of rivers and canals halts hydroelectricity production in GB during the winter. As an alternative, people use firewood and liquified petroleum gas (LPG) to meet their heating energy needs. It is possible to sustain tourism in the region through the solar water heating system – a cheaper and more environment-friendly alternative for heating purposes.

The study highlights that the natural beauty and other famous historical and cultural assets of GB make it a popular tourist spot. Gilgit-Baltistan is in a cold temperature zone, resulting in significant climatic fluctuations throughout the year for its residents and tourists.

The study says millions of local and foreign tourists visit Gilgit-Baltistan annually, as there are several tourist attractions in this region.

It says tourism development in GB and other northern areas is also harming the local ecology, as tourists and locals rely on traditional fuels such as the wood and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for heating. LPG is mainly utilized for heating in densely populated cities such as Gilgit and Skardu.

The study highlights that tourism development has led the government to focus on promoting ecotourism in the region. Burning wood for heating purposes results in severe health and environmental problems due to deforestation in the region. In the northern portion of Pakistan, deforestation has increased significantly.