Construction companies working at the Taunsa Barrage Rehabilitation and Modernisation Project allegedly left scraps, sands and paving stones in the middle of the river which they had used to erect embankments to block the water flow.
According to environmentalists, the scrap and heaps of sand and paving stone pollute the river water damaging the life of inhabitants of the river.
The Indus River Dolphin, or Bolin fish as the local people call it, has been declared a rear and endangered mammal. It is famous the world over and is found only in the biggest river in Pakistan.
Environmentalist Qaswar Abbas said the main reason for the decline of the Indus River dolphin was the construction of numerous dams and barrages, starting in the 1930’s. Citing the World Conservation Union (IUCN) report, he said another severe threat to the survival of the Indus River Dolphin was probably the increasing withdrawal of water.
Accidental capture in fishing nets; pollution; and hunting for meat, oil and traditional medicine have also had an impact.
He says the scrap and heaps of sand make the river water dirty and muddy which reduces the reach of sunlight to fish and amphibians living in the river.
The Taunsa Barrage Rehabilitation Project was launched on May 10, 2005, and was to be completed in 36 months.
However, the major work was planned to be completed in the first two years. The barrage is to hold a 4,300ft long subsidiary weir and the downstream of the existing barrage was to raise the tail water level and ensure proper energy dissipation at high river flows.
The project also includes the repair of the barrage floor by removing weak concrete and replacing it with a new layer of concrete, and grouting to seal joints and fill voids in the foundation.
According to WWF-Pak, there are between 950 to 1,000 Indus River Dolphins remaining in Pakistan. The species is listed as an ‘endangered’ by the IUCN. The largest population of approximately 600 exists in the Sindh between the Sukkur and Guddu barrages. Smaller populations occur further upstream between Guddu and Taunsa and Taunsa and Chasma barrages.
Historically the dolphins existed from the Indus estuary up into the foothills of the Himalayas at Attock. They were also found in all major Indus tributaries, including upstream in the River Ravi.
Since the construction of the Indus irrigation system, the dolphins have declined dramatically. Now they remain only in a short stretch of the main Indus River in small populations, which have been separated by impassable irrigation weirs or barrages across the Indus River.
An official of the Environment Department, who wanted his name not to be quoted, said that under an agreement with the government, construction companies working on the barrage were bound to remove waste and scrap from the river.
These companies, however, did not do so and put the fish, especially the Indus River Dolphin in danger.
These heaps of sands can be seen at the Taunsa Barrage which continue polluting the water besides decreasing the depth level of the river while Indus River Dolphin needs deep water to live.
The work of the barrage was to be completed in three years but Descon Engineering Company completed the project in two years.
The company erected embankments to stop the flow of the river towards gates. When a breach in these embankments occurred on Jan 15, 2006, a lot of scrap and machinery were swept away.
As the major construction company, Descon, left the site without removing the scrap at the site, Irrigation Department officials did not take any action against these companies. Instead they asked local communities to fish out it from the river.
Now, local people using ordinary boats are seen fishing out scrap from the water of the Indus River. On Aug 14, 2007, two people – Muhammad Khalid, 24, and Abdul Majeed, 17, both of Basti Sheikhan – drowned when their boat capsized.
But even the death of two people could not wake the Irrigation Department and local people still try their luck in search of scrap.
When Dawn correspondent contacted Environmental Department, an official said his department had written many letters to Descon Engineering Company to remove the scrap from the river but to no avail.
He said even though they had seen a dead Dolphin in these days here, but polluted water weakened the aquatic inhabitants.
When Dawn contacted Irrigation Department officials, they said that the construction company had completed the work and now it had started Kachhi canal.
Descon official Chaudhry Manzoor said that the company had completed the work in two years and it was not its responsibility to remove the used materials.