DADU, Aug 8: Pollution has increased in Manchhar, Hammal and 41 others small lakes located in different parts of Dadu, Jamshoro and Qambar-Shahdadkot districts.
According to a survey conducted by Assistant Prof Aftab Ahmed Mahessar Mehran University of Engineering and Technology with the help of an NGO, the pollution cast negative impact on fishes, birds and beauty of lakes.
The survey said the lakes had been rejuvenated by last year's flood but with the passage of time, they were again hit by pollution because discharge of effluent and use of chemicals for fishing.
It said that around 100,000 people lives at Manchhar lake and main source of their livelihood was fishing and sale of handicrafts made from bushes and grass.
It was due to non-availability of fresh water from Indus that the lake dried up thrice in the past four decades, causing large scale displacement of fishermen and reduction in fish catch.
In 1944 the fish catch from the lake was 57,600 tons and now it was less than 100 tons.
The lake is facing a threat from pollution because of discharge of waste water from Hammal Lake through Main Nara Valley Drain.
It is the matter of concern that this biggest fresh water lake is still not declared as Ramsar site, the survey said.
HAMMAL LAKE: Hamal Lake is the second largest lake of Dadu and Qambar- Shahdadkot districts.
According to the Sindh irrigation department, the lake area is spread over 25x10 km with the inclusion of nearby lakes, Badam, Saroh, Kachri which have merged into the Hammal due to construction of flood-protective bund.
Hammal Lake is a natural depression in the plains filled by torrential rains on Khirthar mountains, with a capacity of 0.08MAF water.
The survey said that the lake is facing pollution due to discharge of saline water into it and also because animals took bath in it and drink its water. Pollution is affecting the lives of fish and birds found in the lake. Its water is not fit for human consumption because locals use chemicals for fishing.
Mr Mahessar said that pollution had affected beauty of lakes. He said that laboratory tests of water of Manchhar, Hammal and 41 other small and big lakes were conducted and it was found their water was not fit for human consumption.
He said that water containing up to 500PPM toxic level is fit for human consumption but toxic level in the water of the lakes was found from 4,500 to 5,000PPM.
He said that fishermen were using chemicals for fishing which was creating high pollution. He said that waste water was being diverted into lakes, which was worsening situation.
An environmentalist, Abdul Aziz Ranjhani, who has written a book on lakes of Sindh, said dwellers earned thousands rupees daily from lakes of Sindh and it was the only source of income for the people living along the lakes.
He said that Manchhar, Hamal and other lakes remained trade centre of fish in the past but environmental pollution had badly affected this business.
The survey said that apart from the two major lakes on the right bank, there were many small lakes and wetlands which were also facing environmental pollution.The vice-chairman of the Pakistan Fisher-Folk Forum, Ghulam Mustafa Mallah, said that the government should make efforts to protect lakes.
He said that fresh water of Manchhar and Hamal lakes had turned poisonous, which suspended fishing.
The director of fisheries, inland, Sindh, Mujtaba Wadhur, said that if they received any complaints about usage of chemicals for fishing, they would check quality of water of lakes through its test in laboratories in Sukkur and Tandojam.