Due to lack of freshwater flow and dumping of untreated effluents, 12 out of the 42 natural wetlands in Sindh have completely dried up while the rest are becoming more and more water depleted and polluted, said World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Pakistan’s Programme Coordinator Nasir Ali Panhwar on Thursday.
He was speaking at an event organised at Keenjhar Lake by the WWF Pakistan’s Indus for all Programme to celebrate the World Wetlands Day. The programme was attended by government officials, civil society representatives, journalists and students.
Addressing the audience, Panhwar said that with over 225 nationally significant wetlands, Pakistan is well endowed with a wide variety of wetlands ranging from the mountain ranges to the coast.
“[But] without adequate water to maintain the wetlands, they will disappear,” he said. “In Sindh, a dozen of its 42 natural wetlands have completely dried up while the rest are becoming more and more water depleted.”
“At the Haleji Lake sanctuary, conditions have been worsening for the migratory birds due to water shortage, sedimentation and spread of aquatic vegetation,” he added.
Panhwar said that 10 of the 19 Ramsar sites in the country are located in Sindh.
Deploring the situation of Ramsar sites in Sindh, he urged for serious attention and developing a management plan to conserve the wetlands.
Emphasising that Keenjhar being an important source of water for Karachi should be made pollution free, the WWF coordinator was of the view that the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board should allocate at least one percent of its income for the revival of the Keenjhar Lake and the well-being of its inhabitants.
Panhwar said that responsible eco-tourism should be promoted at the wetlands which will generate livelihood for local communities.
Speaking on the occasion, Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) Chairman Mohammad Ali Shah said that wetlands are heavily dependent on the Indus River for water but the agriculture sector is given more attention compared to wetlands. “The wetlands should be treated on equal footing with the agriculture sector,” he opined.
Shah said that as wetlands provide food, fibre and generate income for the local communities, both the ecology and the inhabitants in the Indus delta – also a Ramsar site – have been affected by the lack of freshwater flow and the consequent saltwater intrusion.
“Wetlands have been made dumping grounds for untreated industrial and domestic wastewater,” he said. “The wetlands of Sindh are confronting a number of threats such as unavailability of water, careless attitude of authorities concerned, mismanagement and overexploitation of available resources.”
Appealing that the fisherfolk community should adopt environment-friendly fishing practices, he appreciated the involvement of students in raising awareness through paintings, tableaux, story writing and speeches
Sindh Wildlife Department (Hyderabad) Deputy Conservator Taj Muhmmad Shaikh said the department is trying its best to enrich biodiversity and taking several measurers for protection of the wetlands and wildlife in the province. “The wildlife department requires cooperation and support of the community in saving wildlife particularly the threatened species,” he added.
Renowned writer Rasool Bux Dars said that the tourism potential of wetlands is still untapped in this part of the world. “The industrial effluent of Nooriabad and Kotri, SITE areas is drained into the Keenjhar Lake, while foreign dignitaries are given permits for hunting,” he added.
Dars also called for an immediate ban on the use of unauthorised fishing nets.
PFF’s Gulab Shah said that water is a natural asset that should be utilised properly and all people should benefit from it. “Migratory birds are disappearing at a fast pace and this must be addressed on urgent basis,” he added.
Others who spoke on the occasion included Environmental Protection Agency’s Abdul Rauf, Ghulam Rasool Khatri, Irshad Ali Gandro and Bilqees Khatti.
At the event, paintings made by students of nature clubs formed by the WWF were put on display, depicting the beauty of wetlands, birds, plants and other natural resources and conveying messages regarding conservation of wetlands.
On the event’s sidelines, a story competition was held among students regarding different environmental themes to highlight the issues confronting the wetlands in Sindh.
The students also presented tableaux and poems, while prizes were given to the candidates who won their respective competitions.
