October 10, 2008	Friday	Shawwal 10, 1429

KARACHI, Oct 9: An online geographic information system (GIS) along with an interactive environmental and social atlas on the Indus eco-region was launched at a ceremony here on Thursday.

The website “dss-foreverindus.org” features information about villages, canals, drainages, land-cover, etc with satellite images and other related facts about the Indus eco-region.

The digital atlas and the decision support system (DSS) have been designed by the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan.

The initiative is part of the Indus for All Programme (IAP), a five-year conservation and livelihood programme of WWF-Pakistan which is currently being implemented in Keti Bunder and Keenjhar Lake in Thatta, Pai Forest in Nawabshah and Chhotiari wetlands in Sanghar district.

Briefing newsmen about the system, Rab Nawaz of the WWF said that the unique digital atlas and DSS were built upon the latest satellite images using primary and secondary data sources.

The website also features an online user guide. At the moment, it was in English but process was underway for an Urdu and Sindhi version, he said.

Provincial secretary (planning and development) Mohammad Ali Khaskheli, who was chief guest at the ceremony, spoke about the various environmental challenges being faced by Sindh and stressed the need for a holistic approach.

Referring to the damage caused by the Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) to the eco-region, he said the faulty drain had compounded people’s miseries. He underlined the need for encouraging agro-based industry, provision of incentives to the fishing sector and making communities a part of all public sector projects.

MPA Sikander Mandro, Dr Ghulam Akbar and Nisar Ali Panhwar also spoke.