https://www.facebook.com/103443265049038/

T H E M E, Gilgit (2024)

26/11/2023

25/11/2023

We, the residents of Beshkar, want our voices to be heard!
I request the people of Karimabad to come forward and support the development of the local community that is sustainable in the long term.
No businesses including Serena Hotels should be allowed to earn at the expense of local communities' sufferings, privacy, and traditional norms! These giant business entities working in siloes with zero respect for the local communities and zero idea of the local environment should be questioned!
The newly constructed Serena Hotel in Karimabad Hunza has provoked several concerns and fear among the residents of Mohallah Beshkar and has absolutely failed to achieve the so-called Serena Hotels’ mandate of ‘tourism for sustainable development’.

• Firstly, it has neglected the GB-EPA regulations that clearly define the requirements of a thorough EIA and an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) with measures to mitigate any environmental impacts for the life of the project. Even if an EIA has been conducted, the documents are not publicly available and no effective stakeholder engagement including public hearings and focus group discussions with the affected community has taken place.
• Secondly, during the construction phase, multiple challenges were experienced by the local community including encroachment and damage to the public water channels. Water received through dala (one of the longest traditional waterways in Karimabad) is the only water resource for the residents of Beshkar which was disrupted thus depriving the community of water for both household use and irrigation.
• Thirdly, while the management has spent billions on the planning and construction of Serena, they failed entirely to evaluate the local nuances. Serena’s humongous building which is hanging on the heads of the local residents (one can see in the pictures) completely blocks the sunlight (a major source of Vitamin D).
• Last but not least, Serena’s local management is equally responsible as their rude and derogatory statements throughout the construction have hurt the sentiments of locals and proved their bogus commitment to the community’s wellbeing.

What do we foresee?
• A major concern is the breach of privacy of local residents.
Tourists will be excessively using smartphones as well as drones and digital cameras. Along with the households are open restrooms just below Serena’s newly built tourist lodgings. Half of our household activities take place on the terraces compounded by people especially women spending their leisure time on terraces with the neighborhood. This will not only harass locals but deprive them of their privacy, freedom, and traditional lifestyle.
• Local community will experience continuous disturbance due to concerts/musical shows

Our sufferings!
• A local sanitation system developed by TMS has deprived Beshkar village for decades from using it due to fear of excessive load of waste from Serena Hotel
• Lack of clean drinking water
• Lack/ almost non-availability of electricity
• Unemployment of youth
• Deficiency of Vitamin D/ Sunlight

What do we expect?
• Positive engagement with all stakeholders i.e. people of Karimabad in general & residents of Beeshker in particular
• Measures to safeguard the safety, security & privacy of locals/ community, especially of Beshkar
• No defiance of local norms, culture & tradition
• Formulation of high powered dialogue committee

What do we demand?
• Centuries-old custom of maintenance of water channel passing through Serena to continue uninterrupted
• Provision of clean drinking water facility
• Extension of electric supply to the village
• Resolution of sewerage line issue
• Quota in jobs of Serena for villagers
• Earmarking a certain percentage of profit for the development of Karimabad in general & Beshkar village in particular
• No outdoor musical programs/ concerts/ gatherings without permission from the village
• Outdoor programs if allowed should end at 2100 hours in winter & 2200 hours in summer (in alignment with the measures enforced by local administration)
• No trespassing from the Beshkar village
• No lights (flood, flash, LED) facing towards the village
• No security cameras facing toward the village
• Display of numerous signage to value local norms/ culture/ tradition & privacy