THATTA, Aug 11: The rapid degradation of mangroves in the coastal belt on account of non-availability of water is leading fishermen and camel herdsmen to move to other areas in search of a livelihood.

The mangroves are the hatching ground for fish and the grazing site for buffaloes and camels.

The Indus delta is facing destruction due to water not having been released downstream Kotri since the last four years.

A visit to the site and the study of some reports revealed that the Indus delta ecosystem, which spreads over an area of 600,000 hectares on the coastal belt of Sindh, proved to be a source of livelihood for 135,000 souls who utilized its resources for fishing and animal grazing, besides using the wood collected from there as a source of fuel. The mangroves also provided fodder for the buffaloes and camels.

The study shows that a total of 6,000 camels and 3,200 buffaloes used the resources of this ecosystem and consumed 67 million kgs of leaves valued at Rs33.4 million and 9.5 million kgs of grass valued at Rs19.5 million respectively till 1998 in the Thatta coastal belt alone.

Mohammed Ali Malkani, tribal chieftain of the Jat tribe, Ghulam Qadir Malkani, Din Mohammed Jat, Sattar Lohar, and a number of other people told this correspondent that a good number of camels used to be supplied to the Gulf states from the villages located in the coastal belt of Thatta as a result of which huge revenues were generated.

A source said that camels also remained a main source of transporting contraband goods to the creeks.

He said that a decade back the mangroves were the source of 12.1 million kg fuel wood worth Rs18.9 million, and added that the local population used to depend on wood for their livelihood but during the last two decades excessive cutting of trees in the coastal belt was diminishing the mangroves fast. As a result of this there was intrusion of the sea into the coastal land causing floods.

The experts underscored the need for conservation of these valuable resources.

The DFO (afforestation wing), Forest Department, Thatta, Riaz Wagan, disclosed that this awareness led to the formation of a mini-project: The Rehabilitation and Replanting of Indus Delta Mangroves (RRIDM).

He said that it began its activities in 1993 and was implemented by the Coastal Forest Division, Sindh Forest Department, with the financial support of the provincial government and the World Bank.

The project had succeeded in protecting about 16,000 hectares of mangroves over a period of six years spreading over three ranges, i.e. 5,108 hectares in Karachi, 5,617 hectares in Keti Bunder/Kharo Chhan, and 5,275 hectares in Shah Bunder.

However, all the officials concerned shared the same view that unless 10 million acre feet water was released downstream Kotri, the ecosystem would continue to face threat.

The majority of the fishermen belonging to the coastal belt lamented that their source of livelihood had been badly affected due to the use of prohibited fishing nets and large-scale fishing through foreign trawlers.

Those who earned their livelihood through camels said that they had been compelled to shift whatever small herds they had been left with to the mountainous ranges where there was a remote chance of their business flourishing.