The 21st Cholistan Desert Jeep Rally scheduled from Wednesday to February 15 is expected to attract thousands of tourists, including foreigners, to Bahawalpur.
Environmental and wildlife officials have warned that plastic waste, noise and dust generated during the event pose risks to the desert ecosystem.
Experts said a large number of visitors discard plastic water bottles, food wrappers and other waste across the desert during the event..
This not only contributes to environmental pollution but also threatens wildlife inhabiting the area.
A wildlife conservator, Badar Munir, is currently engaged with his team in collecting plastic waste left during last year’s jeep rally. He said thousands of people camp in the desert during the event and dispose of plastic bottles, wrappers and bags, causing pollution and creating hazards for wildlife.
He added that several wildlife species inhabit areas adjoining the rally track. During the rally, fast-moving vehicles, excessive noise and dust disturb animals and birds. In some cases, animals and their young are killed after being hit by speeding vehicles.
He said routes connected to the main track are being blocked to prevent vehicles from straying off course and harming wildlife.
The Cholistan desert is an important habitat for chinkara deer and other species. However. South Punjab Additional Chief Wildlife Ranger Sheikh Zahid Iqbal said effective measures had been taken to protect wildlife during the rally.
He said 120 wildlife rangers had been deployed along the 500-kilometre rally track and adjoining areas, including Jamgarh, Maujgarh, Qila Bijnot and Qila Derawar, as well as at wildlife checkpoints established in Cholistan.
Awareness boards have been installed at several locations.
A spokesperson for the Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP) said efforts are made during the rally to ensure that no harm is caused to the local environment or wildlife. The spokesperson said waste is collected during and after the event and the selection of routes takes wildlife protection into consideration.
A World Wildlife Fund (WWF) representative, Dr Uzma Khan, said the Cholistan region is a designated wildlife game reserve and a major habitat for migratory birds.
She said the timing of the rally should have taken into account the presence of wildlife, particularly migratory birds, whose return migration continues until March.
She said discarded plastic bottles, wrappers and other waste pose serious threats to the local environment and wildlife. She explained that desert ecosystems are naturally fragile, where the decomposition of waste is extremely slow. As a result, plastic remains on the ground for years, affecting soil quality. Grazing animals such as deer, chinkara and livestock often ingest plastic, mistaking it for food, which damages their digestive systems and can lead to death.
The experts noted that rainwater or dew collecting in discarded plastic bottles provides breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other insects, potentially contributing to the spread of diseases. They said that noise, high-speed vehicles, human presence and accumulated waste disrupt the natural habitats of birds and other wildlife, affecting their migration patterns, breeding cycles and feeding behaviour.
Badar Munir stressed effective waste management, cleanliness and enforcement of environmental regulations during such events to prevent long-term damage to the desert environment and wildlife.
Source: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2591863/cholistan-set-to-draw-thousands-of-tourists
