HYDERABAD: Experts and environmentalists at a seminar expressed grave concerns over the destruction of Indus Delta due to the lack of flowing water in the Kotri downstream of the Indus River and said the paucity of water in the Kotri downstream has severely affected aquatic organism, plants and wildlife.

They appealed to the concerned quarters to conduct further research on the Indus Delta in order to know about the destruction and demanded that steps be taken to ensure the supply of water towards Kotri downstream in the required quantity so that the sea rise might be halted which had been playing havoc in the concerned areas.

This they said while addressing a seminar titled ‘Climate Change in Indus Delta’ which was organized by the Coastal Studies Research Center of Sindh University Thatta Campus in collaboration with WWF-Pakistan at the campus here on Thursday.

The Pro-Vice Chancellor Sindh University Thatta Campus Dr Rafiq Ahmed Memon said the climate change, increase in pollution and non-supply of required fresh water to the Arabian sea through the Indus River below Kotri barrage had wrecked havoc in Thatta and Badin districts and the sea level had been risen from time to time which had resulted in devastation of fertile lands and affected local population. “Dangerous environmental effects can be felt on the vast Indus Delta of Sindh. This is alarming for local populace, aquatic as well as wildlife”, he said.

Director, Coastal Research Studies Center Dr Mukhtiar Ahmed Mahar said the sea was advancing and destroying the productive land of the Delta as well as the forests. On the other hand, he added that the Zulfiqarabad and other projects in the name of development had severely affected the wildlife and aquatic existence in the Delta.

Environmentalist Saeedul Islam said that out of 123 countries in the world, the Delta of Sindh had reached the number one position in terms of destruction of forests and trees, while out of 8 varieties of tamarind, only 4 varieties were surviving. He said that due to lack of water in Kotri downstream the forests were at the verge of collapse as no plants and trees were growing due to scarcity of fresh water.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021