KHAIRPUR: Experts at an international conference on ‘Environmental issues of Sindh and its remedies’ noted with concern that environmental pollution kills more than 10 million people every year in the world.

Speaking on the second day of the two-day conference held at the Shah Abdul Latif University on Thursday, they said water insecurities are among five societal risks that the world is facing today.

There have been increasing concerns on toxic elements containment in vegetables, which adversely affects the human body, they said.

The experts who presented their research papers on Thursday included Prof Dr Fayyaz Ahmed Memon (UK), Prof Dr Asadullah Kazi (Isra University, Hyderabad), Prof Dr Mohammad Mashroof Akhter (University of Punjab, Lahore), Prof Dr Shahabuddin Memon (University of Sindh), Dr Farman Ali Shah, Dr Saeed Ahmed Bablani, Prof Dr Mohammad Yar Khuhawar, Dr Abdul Qayoom Jakhrani (Quaid-i-Azam University, Nawabshah), Dr Amanullah Murree (NED University, Karachi), Prof Dr Safia Ahmed (Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad) and Prof Dr Mamtaz Ali Mahar.

Highlighting the issue of sea intrusion and its devastating effects on the Indus delta, the experts said that the coastal aquifer system had been polluted due to mixing of seawater and freshwater on a large scale. This has has also increased salinity in the coastal areas of Sindh.

There has been a devastating effect of recent environmental changes in Sindh that had triggered floods and then caused a drought, on the provincial economy.

They also highlighted effect of seepage through river/canal embankments and called for effectively controlling it. Seepage and overtopping led to various environmental issues, including rise in water table, water-logging, salinity and mosquito breeding etc.

The experts also described disposal of effluents from sugar mills into waterways as a major environmental issue linked to spread of various diseases.