KARACHI, Dec 4: The 8th Ramsar convention on wetlands held in Spain recently has expressed satisfaction over a report on the 16 Ramsar sites of Pakistan and approved three new locations in Sindh for inclusion in the list.
This was stated by the secretary forests, wildlife and environment, Shamsul Haq Memon, in a meeting which was convened on Wednesday to review the steps taken in the 8th Ramsar convention on wetlands in the city of Valencia, Spain. The topic of the convention was “Wetlands - Water, Life and Culture.”
The first convention in this regard was held in Ramsar, a city of Iran, in 1971, where it was decided to constitute a bureau of international wetlands with its headquarters in Switzerland.
Mr Memon informed the meeting that three new locations — Deh Akro-II wildlife sanctuary in Nawabshah district, Runn of Kutchh wildlife sanctuary and the Indus delta region — were introduced in the convention which approved them for inclusion in the Ramsar sites.
The convention appreciated Pakistan’s report on the 16 Ramsar sites. These sites are: Astola Island, Chashma barrage, Drigh Lake, Haleji Lake, Hub Dam, Indus dolphin reserve, Jiwani coastal wetland, Jobho lake, Keenjhar lake, Miani Hor, Noori lake, Ormara turtle beaches, Tando dam, Taunsa Barrage, Thanedarwala and Ochali complex.
Mr Memon said that international organizations agreed with the contents of the report. Progress was made in negotiations with many NGOs who have been engaged in development of these sites while most of the countries, especially Iran, Japan and Indonesia, offered financial assistance for development and conservation of the wetlands.
Pakistani delegation, he said, apprised the convention of the measures taken toward evolvement of a national wetlands policy, planning for national, provincial and local wetlands, setting international as well as national targets, environment assessment impacts, associating private sector for conservation of wetlands and its significance, maintenance and reclamation of Ramsar sites.
Necessary steps were taken in the conference to ensure the safety of more than 200 species of migratory birds who come to these wetlands, their safe arrival in Central Asia and Indus flyway, danger-free breeding and departure from the Ramsar sites of Pakistan.
Besides, measures will be adopted to save these wetlands from environmental pollution, filthy water and site lands which will be used for plantation or cultivation.—PPI