THATTA: Water experts and social activists of Thatta and Sujawal districts have warned if required amount of water is not released downstream Kotri Barrage, the sea will invade areas as far up as Kotri and Hyderabad.

They demanded personhood rights for the Indus River and raised serious concerns over gradual destruction of the delta. The unique Indus delta with 17 creeks faced numerous threats, the biggest among them was the sea intrusion, which had spread fear among inhabitants of coastal belt, they said.

The biggest river of the country had not been dealt with as it should have been by the government authorities leading to accumulation of massive challenges, mainly the sea intrusion and devastation of the deltaic region, they said while talking to Dawn on Wednesday.

They said that many countries around the world had realised the importance of rivers and were working to protect them from all possible threats. In 2017, New Zealand granted personhood rights to the Wanganui River, they said. They said that failure to implement 1991 water accord had damaged ecosystem of the river, they said.

Zahid Ishaque Soomro, journalist and writer from Jati town, warned of looming environmental crisis in the coastal belt if appropriate measures were not taken for the revival of Indus Delta by releasing required quantum of water downstream Kotri.

He recalled the devastation caused by inadequate supply of water in coastal areas of Thatta and Sujawal districts and said that till 1991 the delta was fertile and rich in resources providing livelihood to fishermen as well as local growers. He said that lack of water had turned a vast area barren in the coastal area. “Several freshwater lakes in the coastal region, prominent among them Karr, Jim, Tall and Khadi lakes have died completely for want of freshwater,” he said.

Corroborating the views of Soomro, noted agronomist and water expert Obhayo Khan Khushik, said that a number of rivers in India had attained personhood rights but the Indus River still awaited the coveted status.

He lashed out at Indus River System Authority (Irsa) for formulating faulty policies that had deprived the Indus River and the delta of its natural beauty.

He opposed construction of more dams on the Indus and demanded that the river should be dealt like as a human being.

He said that the deltaic region had suffered massive damage as per reports issued by various international organisations. As many as 32 million acres of land had been swallowed by the sea in coastal areas while in Jherruck and other areas the sea water had penetrated into the Indus River making its water dangerous for human consumption, he said. He said that Irsa should release at least 10 MAF water downstream Kotri barrage.

Asifa A. Rasool, lawyer and trainer, claimed that climate change had caused more devastation in the coastal region than wars could. People were forced to migrate from coastal areas owing to unavailability of resources, she said.

Published in Dawn, March 14th, 2024