The speakers at a two-day international conference on Indus Delta Eco Region that began here on Thursday called for release of minimum environmental flows downstream Kotri barrage for echo system and livelihood of local population.
The conference, which is part of 'Sustainable Programme for Rehabilitation of Indus Delta Eco Region' (Sprider) under European Commission's Asia Pro Eco Programme, has been organised by Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum in collaboration with its partners Architecture & Development, France, Amorces, France, Istas, Spain and NRPP, Badin, Sindh.
The experts viewed that pollution should be treated at source before discharging into sea and suggested the government that deep sea fishing policy should be framed in consultation with coastal community.
"The government should sanction long term mangrove forests and fisheries rehabilitation project along the coast of Pakistan," they said suggesting that coastal communities should be involved in coastal resource management at all levels. Moreover, the communities should be provided alternatives for reducing their dependence on mangrove ecosystem.
Ludovic Jonard, Executive Director of Architecture & Development, France in his address said that Sprider is aimed at promoting better understanding of Sindh's environmental challenges, presenting strategies for practical action towards sustainable use and development of water resources, strengthening capacity of Sindhi civil society organisations and consolidate the links between European and Pakistani coastal communities and fisher organisations.
Muhammad Ali Shah of PFF said that the present delta covers an area of about 600,000 acres and is characterised by 17 major creeks, innumerable minor creeks, mud flats and mangrove forests.
However, with introduction of modern irrigation system on Indus River especially commissioning of barrages and dams, the Indus flow to delta started reducing drastically. "Over the 60 years the fresh water flow has reduced from over 80 MAF to less than 10 MAF. The result is in the form of irreparable losses to the ecology, bio-diversity as well as livelihood resources of Indus delta," he added.
Feroze Mehdi of Alternative, a Canada-based NGO, Sayed Zulfiqar Shah of Piler, Karachi, Tahir Qureshi of IUCN, Mrs Tahira Ali of PFF, Mustafa Talpur of Water Actionaid Pakistan and others also spoke. During the technical section, the experts told that over 150,000 people use about 36,000 tons of mangrove firewood per month along Pakistan coast and about 16,000 camels, 4,000 to 6,000 cows and water buffaloes and 2,500 to 3,000 cattle graze in mangroves.