GILGIT – Authorities have sealed rooms and imposed a heavy fine on a high-end hotel in Gojal area of Hunza after it was accused of polluting the scenic Attabad Lake in Gilgit-Baltisitan by dumping sewage into it.
The action was taken after a foreign vlogger George Buckley visited the lake and later shared a video on Instagram. “Pumping sewage into the lake? @luxushunza please provide an explanation. This is an important issue that can’t go unaddressed,” he captioned the post.
In the video, the foreign national also cited a local resident of Hunza who informed him that the lake is being polluted by Luxus Hunza.
As the video went viral on social media, tourists, environmentalists and others started putting pressure on the administration to take an action against it.
In response, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and local administration took an action and sealed rooms with damaged manholes. They also imposed a fine of Rs1.5 million on the hotel.
Meanwhile, the hotel has rejected the allegations in its response shared on social media.
“We have come across a recent video circulating online that falsely accuses our hotel, Luxus Hunza, of discharging sewage into the lake. We strongly deny these baseless allegations. This is a serious misinterpretation of natural phenomena,” the statement read.
“From day one, we have gone above and beyond to ensure our operations are fully sustainable and eco-friendly. An environmental impact survey was conducted before opening, and all necessary approvals were obtained,” it added.
The hotel administration also clarified that their waste management system is fully compliant with regional environmental regulations and poses no threat to the ecosystem of the lake.
