The Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change on Wednesday expressed its grave concern over soaring level of sea pollution which has degraded coastal ecosystem, particularly mangroves and marine life.
The senate body asked the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) and Sindh wildlife and forest department to boost coping measures in collaboration with relevant government authorities to fight the pollution by controlling disposal of untreated industrial effluents and domestic sewage into sea.
Presided over by Senate Committee’s Chairman Mir Muhammad Yousaf Badini, he emphasized the unprecedented significance of Pakistan’s marine and coastal ecosystems and the biodiversity they support.
The meeting was held in the committee room of the chief secretary office at the Sindh Secretariat.
It was really a matter of concern that unsustainable human interference, construction activities, conversion of mangroves area for non-confirming uses, release of the untreated industrial and domestic sewage had deprived the country of the sustainability of such socio-economic and environmental benefits, Mir Muhammad Yousaf Badini regretted.
“We must realise that the seas provide a unique set of goods and services to society, including moderation of climate, processing of waste and toxicants, provision of vital food, medicines and employment for significant number of people. Our coasts provide space to live and directly and indirectly create wealth, including millions of jobs in industries such as fishing, aquaculture and tourism,” he said.
Senate Committee’s Member Ms Nuzhat Sadiq that said awareness-raising among local communities, stakeholders and enforcement of relevant environmental laws were vital to protecting the marine and coastal ecosystems from further degradation.
Climate Change Ministry Secretary Syed Abu Ahmed Akif said that Pakistan’s coastal areas were most likely to face growing climate risks like storm surges, sea level-rise, cyclones, heat waves, cloud bursts in future.
“Climate change poses risks for cities near the ocean and could flood more often or more severely, if sea level continues to rise. If that happens, many people will lose their homes and businesses,” he warned.
He suggested that these climate change-induced risks could be mitigated through adaptation measures, mainly increasing mangroves forest cover and averting encroachment in coastal areas, boosting network of installation of early coastal cyclone warning systems and sensitive coastal communities about possible coping measures to save their lives and livelihoods.
Sindh Chief Conservator of Forests, Aijaz Ahmed Nizamani, briefed the senate committee about various measures taken for boosting mangroves forest cover in the limit of the province. He told the meeting that around 1,10,212 mangroves trees had been planted over last 23 years in different coastal areas of the province, with survival ratio of over 70 per cent.
“But release of fresh water that also carries nutrient-rich silt and deposits it into the Indus delta is pre-dominant cause of the rapid worsening state of the mangroves forests and was stumbling-block to the growth of new mangroves forests planted time to time,” Mr Nizamani said.
Besides, inadequate flow of fresh water into the Indus Delta was also leading to the coastal bank erosion and sea intrusion in the inland fertile areas. Other threats included cutting of mangroves for fuel and fodder and grazing purposes, he highlighted.
The chief conservator pointed out that environmentalists advocate a minimum 10 million acre feet (MAF) freshwater discharge into the delta for sustainable management.
Apprising the Senate body about the benefits and services the country’s mangroves forests provide, the chief conservator said that besides being first natural wall of defence against natural calamities including cyclones and sea level rise, the forests were important supplier of nutrient and oxygen, resource-rich habitat for many species of fish and shrimp. They also help stabilise shorelines, reduce coastal erosion, protect coastal areas from storm damage and act as carbon sinks and natural water treatment plants, he added.
“Given all the socio-economic and environmental benefits, the economic value of the Sindh province’s mangroves forests stretched over 6,07,660 hectares runs into billions of dollars,” Mr Nizamani said.
The director general of Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), Karachi, Naeem Ahmad Mughal, also briefed on sources, impacts and measures for tackling pollution in the coastal areas.
He ranked release of domestic sewage (estimated 450 million gallons per day) and disposal of untreated industrial effluents (nearly 80 million gallons per day) as major causes of sorry state of the marine pollution.
Other threats included soaring industrialisation, dumping of solid wastes, unsustainable port-related activities, urbanisation, oil pollution, burgeoning cattle colony, slaughter houses, illegal industrial activities in Ibrahim Hyderi and Rehri Villages, he pointed out.
“The SEPA has taken several measures including action for immediate installation of in-house treatment facility for water effluent discharge in result about 65 treatment plants has been established in different industrial estates of Sindh. Besides, about 120 tanneries have been directed to treat their effluent through combine effluent treatment plant specially designed for tanneries,” he told the Senate committee. “Besides, notices have been issued to Malir cantonment, DHA, Faisal cantonment, PNS Karsaz and PNS Qasim to install wastewater treatment plant for treatment of domestic sewage generated at their jurisdiction.”
He underlined the need for enhancing effectiveness of the SEPA through enforcement of environmental laws, consultative process with industry and other stakeholders, NGOs for motivation towards protection of environment and natural resources and increasing coordination with public sector organisations to incorporate environmental policies with their plans (KMC, DHA, cantonment boards, local government department) as well as developmental schemes to address environmental issues.
The meeting was also attended, among others, by PPP-P Senator Ahmed Hassan, MQM Senator Nighat Mirza, Senator PMAP Gul Bushra, PML-N Senator Saleem Zia, ANP Senator Sitara Ayaz, PIT Senator Samina Abid, Secretary Forest and Wildlife Rizwan Ahmed Memon and other top key government officials from different provincial departments.
