NAWABSHAH Oct 16: The government has been urged to revive plantation of indigofera tinctoria, a plant meant for the production of organic and nature-based dye, popularly known as Neer in Sindh province.

A seminar for the revival of the plant was organised by Goth Sudhar Sangat, a community-based organisation of Haji Khan Keerio village, in collaboration with Indus for All Programme of the WWF-Pakistan, on Friday.

Programme Coordinator Nasir Ali Panhwar informed the participants that a small grants programme titled 'partnership fund for NGOs, government departments and academic institutions focussing on conservation of species, management of habitat and livelihood support and ecological processes, has been introduced. The fund, he said, was supporting the Goth Sudhar Sangat for the revival of indigo plant specie by developing 'model plots'.

Indigo in the past was used for colouring papers, medicine wrappings and in religious writings, besides being used in production of Ajrak, Sindh's traditional product, he said.

He was of the view that conservation activities were largely linked to the source of livelihood as communities would derive economic benefit from the revival and conservation of indigo plant.

Shakeel Abro, Regional Manager of the NGO 'Ahan' briefing the seminar said that indigo was as old as Indus civilization but efforts for its revival were being taken for the first time and there would be a great demand for this product once its production begins.

He invited the government-run universities to initiate research in this regard.

A model plot for indigo plant has already been established with the support of the WWF, said Dr Sadoro Naz, Moharam Ali Keerio and Muneer Ahmed of Goth Sudhar Sangat.

Not only farmers would get an alternate livelihood but the dyeing industry too, would get a natural product for developing dyes, they said adding that the plant was environment-friendly as it does not require chemical fertiliser and pesticides and very little water.

Previously, the plant was widely used as a source of blue dye which was replaced by the synthetic material, they said.