HYDERABAD: The first Sindhi dictionary on environment and climate change was launched on Tuesday at a ceremony held in a local hotel.

Authored by Dr Ali Murtaza Dharejo, the dictionary was launched under a WWF-Pakistan project, ‘Building capacity on climate change adaptation in coastal areas of Pakistan’ in collaboration with the Friends of Indus Forum.

Addressing the ceremony, former Sindh University vice chancellor Mazharul Haq Siddiqui highlighted the need for dissemination of scientific knowledge and awareness in common man to tackle climate change effectively.

He said that advancement in science was taking place at a fast pace and, therefore, translation of latest works into Sindhi and other languages had become essential. He lauded the role of the WWF-P and efforts of Dr Dharejo in bringing out the pioneering dictionary.

Sindhi Language Authority (SLA) chairperson Dr Fahmida Hussain said that the dictionary would be of great help for students, academia, the media, community and development sector.

SLA had published 15 dictionaries on various themes and it was planning to produce another 20, she said, adding that Sindhi scholars should come forward and extend their cooperation and assistance in translating scientific material into the Sindhi language.

Prof Qalander Shah said that environmental degradation was more evident in Sindh than anywhere else in the country. “On the one hand, government is not serious in sustainable management of natural resources and, on the other hand, capitalists are promoting consumerism to threaten the ecosystem,” he observed, and said that the dictionary would be useful for people from all walks of life.

Dr Dharejo said that around 2.7 million acres in Thatta and Badin districts had already been eroded by sea. Looking at the vanishing flora and fauna of Sindh, he decided to produce the dictionary in Sindhi. He called for revival of the Sindhi Science Society, which had contributed significant publications in the field of scientific literature Friends of Indus Forum general secretary Nasir Ali Panhwar, speaking at the launch, said that climate change had not been given a priority unlike certain other issues.

“Climate change has become a reality which needs to be addressed at various levels,” he stressed, indicating that floods, droughts and heavy rains were the results of climate change and if the current pattern of development in the world continued, the temperature may rise further.

Muhammad Tahir Abbasi, the WWF-P project site coordinator, said that although Pakistan was not directly contributing to the climate change, it was affected by it and listed as No. 8 in the global vulnerability index.

He said the dictionary was part of his project’s activities for raising awareness of climate change.

Dr Mohammed Yar Khuhawar, Dr Habibullah Siddiqui, Naz Sahito, Ishaque Mangrio, Noor Ahmed Janjhi, Suleman G. Abro and Mehran Mallah also spoke.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2014