Dwellers of the village forced to live in old huts; the vilage declared potential threat seek rehibilitation
GBE Report
By:Shamsuddin Muhammad
HUNZA, Attaabad, Dec.11:The continuous movement of ground level for last four years has caused houses pitched on mountain slope of Attaabad, an valley on high altitude in Central Hunza.Attaabd has remained an issolated village and an example of negligence of local and regional leadership. It is located at a distanceof 760 Kilometers from Capital and about thirty killometers of Aliaabad and 55 killometers from Karakorum High Way above Sarat village on a steep slope in Central Hunza. GBE Report
By:Shamsuddin Muhammad
The inhihitants of Ataabad village claim that the first cracks were appeared in both human residential and cattle houses on top for the first time when a high magnitude earth quack waves hit the village in 1994, causing to move a certain area about 1000 feet above the residential periphery. 
The cracks began to widen when the upper overburden slop stated to move, cuasing the soil sliding and eneven leveling of land, gradually. As a result, the settlement affected badly;residential houses of about twenty six and agricultural land propert of sixty six families were forced to evacuate the area. The situation became more serious when Kashmir earth quake of October, 2005 shoke the area and intensified the movement of rocks, destroyed houses. R
eports like that of Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) have declare the area a potential threat, which can demolish either gradually or haphazardly. These reports have recommended for public safety, animal and agricultural property.
Geologists say that Karakorum ranges of Himalaya passes through Hunza and Nagar valeyies in North-West-to-South-East direction. Rakaposhi (7788 meters), the world's eleventh highest mountain is in Southward of the area.The affected area is extremely cold during winter season. Summer remains only a pleasant season for the inhibitants.Current Dangerous situation: When closely observed, the eastern part of the village is gradually moving, causing enlargement of cracks and a main reason for slope failure. Dozen of residential and five cattle houses have destroyed due to recent slope failure. The bed rock is completely fractured and jointed through tectonic process in the area. Heavy peices of rocks have started to slide down in terms of rock falls.
While, the hydrological factors have caused the movement and intensified slope failure as water during rain and snow melt enters the rocks. The movement in network of cracks in the area can be a future calamity and loss of any human life will be a great mistake on part of both consious minds of the region and governemnt simultaneously. It is pertinent to mention that on advice of few narrow-sighted and politically immature elders, the population boycotted the election in a hope to get notice of the rest of masses of Hunza.Yet, the strategy seems irrationale as participation in democratic processes is the first step towards resolution. It is expected that the rulling party will do some thing irrespect of their attitude in terms of boycott only for the walfeware of humanity.
