THATTA: Speakers at a seminar held on Tuesday on ‘Degradation of Indus delta and possible impacts of floods’ expressed the view that the normal flow of water in the Indus being witnessed these days would provide relief to growers, besides benefiting the ecology of the Indus delta and ensuring food security.

The seminar was held at Makli under the auspices of the Centre for Environment & Development (CEAD).

Dr Manjhi and Obhayo Khushk told the audience that it was the super flood of 2010 that brought some relief to the local population by curbing salinity in the delta. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had recommended that 35 Dr Safdar Abbas and Asghar Khaskheli said floods were vital for people’s

Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) chairman Mohammed Ali Shah, Nasir Ali Panwhar, Dr. Safdar Abbas, environmentalist Obhayo Khan Khushik, Dr Mohammed Ali Manjhi, Asghar Khaskheli and others spoke at the seminar.

CEAD executive director Nasir Panhwer referring to the 19th century records said freshwater flows to the lower Indus were around 150 million acre feet per year at that time. Some flow continued all year round and higher flows started in March, peaking in August, and declining in November. However, after the Partition, much emphasis had been on development of the agriculture sector, he added.

He noted that a loss of freshwater flows and consequent saltwater intrusion had devastating effects on the ecology and human economy of the Indus delta. The lands in the area had become unsuitable for agriculture while potable water sources started depleting or vanishing.

He said that in Thatta and Sujawal, almost a third of land had now been affected by saltwater intrusion.

Mohammad Ali Shah said that the Indus delta ecosystem had been rich in nutrients, that provide a nursery and an early feeding ground for a large variety of shrimp and fish species, including Palla. Due to a very low discharge of freshwater over the past 20 years, Palla had almost vanished while other marine resources had registered a sharp decline, he added.

Million acre feet of water should flow downstream Kotri barrage to save the delta.

Survival in terms of greenery, farming and replenishment of marine resources . “Rivers have their own anatomy and the deltas are part of this anatomy,” Dr Abbas said.

Published in Dawn, September 24th, 2014