KARACHI: Targets set to conserve Indus delta ecoregion
KARACHI, July 14: Environment experts at a workshop on Wednesday set targets for conservation and upgradation of Indus delta ecoregion by the year 2020.
They also marked short and long-term milestones to achieve the targets set on the third day of a five-day workshop on "Indus delta ecoregion: biodiversity visioning and conservation planning".
The workshop being organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature, Pakistan, will continue till Friday. The environment experts, representing a wide range of public and private sector organizations including those from abroad working for conservation and upgradation of nature, in their group discussions during the workshop categorized the issues as habitats group, processes group, livestock group and species group for precise and specific proposals.
They were unanimous that the targets could be achieved only if sufficient water inflow to Indus delta is ensured in next 10 to 20 years. They recommended that a representative coastal and terrestrial eco-system of the IDER could be effectively managed by ensuring at least 30 per cent increase in coastal habitat, and equal boost to inland wetlands and terrestrial habitat by the year 2020.
The experts stressed on integrated approach for 15 per cent enhancement in the existing protected areas network with contest of key species. Identifying the processes towards the conservation, the experts sad that water quality within the IDER was maintained at a level suitable to support biodiversity, agriculture and human.
They said that sufficient quantity of fresh water was needed to escape the problems like the recent deaths caused by water contamination in Hyderabad. By the year 2020, the experts recommended 25 per cent increase in number of Indus dolphin, which are presently around 700, and equal increase in existing marine turtles' nesting grounds.
Besides, 10 per cent enhancement in existing Palla Fish, cent per cent increase in Hog-dear and in Marbled-teal (duck bird) were also recommended by the experts.
About the livestock, they suggested minimum increase of 30 per cent in agriculture yield with sustainable agriculture practice and 40 per cent in fisher resources to keep balance with population growth, as the local people, otherwise, were shifting to other sources of livelihood.
Alternate livelihood should be explored in order to reduce pressure on the IDER biological resource, they added. The experts also called for 30 per cent increase in forests.
Besides, comprehensive plan for coastal and inland water should be developed and drainage projects must be designed in a way that it should not harm biodiversity in any case, they said.
Presenting a case study on the Nile, Egypt, International Water Management Institute director Dr Zohngping Zhu said that the same study could be conducted on the Indus delta ecoregion.
He said that drainage water should be used to avoid sea intrusion and rice should be considered as a salt resistance drain water grown crop. "Environmental flow requirements should be analysed according to local circumstances," he said and suggested to conduct the case study of Nile on the Indus delta ecoregion.
The experts recommended to launch campaigns against introduction of exotic species to preserve and enhance fish resources. Amongst the short-term measures regarding the conservation of wetlands, they suggested to formulate inland and marine wetland policy.
The experts also stressed that there should be strict ban on deep-sea fishing trawlers and the nets which already had been declared harmful for fishing. Muhammad Arib Mallah of the Mallah Welfare Association said, "With discouragment of these nets for just a few weeks back, the number of Palla Fish has increased significantly.
They have grown up to seven inches in size along with drastic increase in their numbers." As medium-term steps, proposals for effective pollution control and alternatice income generation programmes were presented at the workshop.
Alternative income generation and better micro-credit facilities, improvement of basic infrastructure and human needs like water, education, health, besides development of fishing policy by involving all stakeholders were also recommended.
Under the long-term strategy, they proposed development of management plans, restoration of habitat and sustained monitoring of wetlands. Besides, the experts called for studies on water needs for the IDER biodversity and rehabilitation of forests in river branches and depressions.
They suggested to conduct scientific studies to asses the water requirement at downstream Kotri and enforcement of environment laws and the National Environment Quality Standards be conducted to address the fresh water and pollution concerns.
The speakers also called for designation of marine protected areas and strengthening of terrestrial protected areas. Strict implementation of law, local community participation and promotion of management of resources was urged to save and increase wildlife.
Earlier, the welcome address was presented by Dr Ejaz Ahmed. Faisal Farooq Khan gave an overview of the IDER action plan. William Reidhead presented the recap of biodiversity visioning process and priority habitats. -PPI/APP
