PEOPLE PERCEPTION TO TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION FLUCTUATION AND ITS ADAPTATION IN THE HINDUKUSH MOUNTAINS, SWAT RIVER CATCHMENT AREA, NORTHWEST PAKISTAN (2003-2013)

摘要

This work aims at the people perception to climate change impacts and adaptation to different environmental sectors in Swat river catchment area, Northwest Pakistan. Two types of climate that is humid and undifferentiated highlands prevail in the area. People perception to temperature fluctuation has been collected through questionnaire survey from Kalam and Utror valleys. The local's have the opined that the climate is changing. They have believed that past climate of the valley has cold as compared to current weather condition. Almost all people judge that the area is getting warmer with passage of time due to a rise in the temperature condition both in summer and winter seasons. Moreover, the majority have deemed that precipitation increased since last five years in summer (after flood) with certain declined in snowfall in winter season. As regarding fall in watertable, the respondents have voted for the depletion in watertable, and seasonal decrease in the flow of water from springs and Swat River (after flood). Generally, the participants have believed that this deterioration in the climate is due to increase in deforestation, population growth, water demand, fall in the snow during winter season, glacier retreat, natural disasters, poor irrigation system, water supply and transportation network, non-availability of power resources, rare agriculture activities and food supply chain, access of local's to national market, and ignorance of Holly Sunnah and Islamic ideological approach. The local government is required to invest on the improvement of the stated sectors massively to control the climate change and to secure the lives of the inhabitants against the natural hazards. To overcome the power resources insufficiency and flood control, this will be appreciated if the government constructs small dams in the valleys and grow up the tourism and education system in the area.