KARACHI, June 14: Conservationists and government officials from various departments at a public hearing expressed dissatisfaction over the environmental mitigation and management programme in regard to proposed exploration activities in the Nawabshah Block. They said that environmental impacts predicted and recorded in the case of the exploration project did not cover all aspects and there was a need to improve those in order to make them relevant, reliable and worthy for meaningful measures aimed at minimizing the adverse impacts of seismic survey and drilling of exploration wells.
The proposed exploration activities planned to be carried out within Deh Akro II Wildlife Sanctuary involved acquisition of data by using a combination of vibroseis and dynamite technologies.
The objective of the two-dimensional survey is to explore the surface in the area to identify hydrocarbon-laden formations, and drilling of two wells over a period of three years, which would ultimately cast impacts on the physical and biological environment, socio-economic environment and heritage aspects in the area, which is also a biological complex of 48 scattered wetlands, said a couple of speakers.
The public hearing was organized by the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency at a hotel on Tuesday. The Adviser to the chief minister on Environment, Mohammad Noman Saigol, presided over the proceedings.
Giving information about the exploration process and methodology, representatives of the proponent, Tullow Pakistan (Development) Limited, maintained that any potential impact on the physical, biological, socio-economic and archaeological, and cultural environment caused by the seismic and drilling operations would be minimized through mitigation and monitoring measures.
They said that seismic operation would also bring positive changes in the local communities, as the firm would be spending $20,000 per year on peoples’ social welfare programme in the vicinity of the project before its commencement. The proponent would also employ local people in the project, as done in the previous projects in Sindh.
Conservation experts and government officials from different departments referred to techniques like vibroseis dynamites and up-holes, use of water for the project and people involved, land clearing, vehicles and heavy machines use and acquisition of productive lands for project facilities, and feared that such activities would not only cause soil erosion, but would also add to the soil, water, air and noise pollution, and cause depletion of water resources, vegetation and massive disturbance to wildlife and birds as well.
They called for carrying out development activities in a sustainable manner, so that potential resources of the project areas could be efficiently used.
The wildlife department’s officials were of the view that a rehabilitation plan for the degrading wildlife should also be put on the cards.
Stakeholders and environmentalists were also critical of the growing number of drillings and seismic surveys and mining activities in the protected areas, and national parks, particularly the wildlife sanctuaries in Sindh. They feared that any careless operation in the areas in question could cause removal of Pakistan from international treaties and conventions.
A couple of retired government officials dealing in fisheries and wildlife urged the government not to allow multinational companies to ignore land erosion, water and air pollution, and degradation of the eco-system. They said it be ensured that wildlife as well as agriculture and wetlands, migratory birds, the flora and fauna, and other endangered species and structure remained intact.
The Secretary of Sindh Environment Department, Shamsul Haq Memon, said the claim by the proponent’s consultant on environment that there would be no significant unacceptable change in the baseline environment condition was inappropriate.
The fact remains undisputed that with every human activity within it, the Akro II Wildlife Sanctuary would transform into a man-made ecological desert in a short span of time.
And, perhaps the area would never be restored to its natural beauty and complex biosphere with countless intrinsic factors, which hold the scattered lagoons, lakes and estuaries and a single Wetland Biological Complex, the secretary added.
Naseer Memon of LEAD Pakistan said the project area comprised a highly fragile eco-system, adding that movement of heavy machinery or equipment and using dynamite for acquiring seismic data could cause serious damage to seepage arteries of the perennial or non-perennial dhands (wetlands).
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) documents prepared and presented for review did not mention any safeguard against such possible damages, he added.
Other aspects including abstraction of water for the project, communities living closer to dhands and their dependence on wetlands, employment of local residents of the area, status of women, land uptake and clearing of vegetation, education and health problems of the local population, tree plantation, agriculture fields, sewage system for project workers, should also be paid special attention while issuing NOC to explorers, pointed out representatives of environmentalists and NGOs.
A representative of the proponent said that the EIA team was already in touch with local populations, while negotiations were on for setting up a blood bank and adoption of some government schools in Nawabshah as part of the companies’ social welfare plan.
It was also mentioned that local people, who were happy with the project activities, were mainly concerned about employment of local people, quick compensation of land acquired for the project, safety of locals due to increasing traffic, care for local cultural norms, reduction in noise pollution and dust emission during the project, and repairing of damages likely to be caused to infrastructure.
Summing up the presentation and question answer session, Mr Noman Saigol said that no country in the world would allow development, which was not sustainable and environment friendly, and certainly expected from its investors and planners to go by relevant rules and bylaws.
He mentioned that the purpose of public hearing was not to discourage any group or enterprise, but to encourage projects having options for minimizing adverse environmental impacts.
It was also the duty of the government officials and departments to ensure true implementations of what had been promised in the EIA report for the cause of better wildlife, forest and human environment, he added.
He said the proponent firm for exploring activities in Nawabshah should review their proposals and try to be more practical in the case of stakeholders by accommodating the inputs given during the public hearing in the final document before any sanction of approval by the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency.