Daily Times

DADU: At least 700 fishermen and their families, living on boats (locally called batelas) in six different villages around Lake Manchar, have migrated to different areas.

They complained that a lot of the fish in the lake had died due to water pollution, forcing the fishermen to leave their houses and go elsewhere to seek opportunity to earn livelihood. They said that 700 families had been living on boats in the villages around Lake Manchar, but were now forced to leave.

Speaking to the media during his visit to Lake Manchar, Manchar Bachao Ittehad President Moula Bux Mallah said that Manchar was known for its boat culture but the culture had suffered terribly when 700 families decided to leave the area. He said that the lake water had been heavily polluted, harming animal and human lives. He said that fishermen depended on the fish in the lake to earn a living but at least 15 kinds of fish had vanished from the lake, due to water pollution.

A villager, Muhammad Ali Mallah, complained that all reverse osmosis plants located in surroundings of Lake Manchar had been nonfunctional for the last four months, forcing local fishermen to use polluted water.

He said that owing to the use of polluted water, villagers were affected with diseases like gastro, hepatitis A, B and C, TB and cholera, and skin diseases as well. He complained that the budget of reverse osmosis plants was embezzled by corrupt government officials and the plants were not operative. He appealed National Accountability Bureau to take notice against irrigation officials and other officials for embezzling budget of reverse osmosis plants.

Resident of another village, Mohammad Bux Mallah, complained that government and non-government organisations were also not paying heed to Lake Manchar and to rehabilitate the fishermen. They said that economic and health condition of fishermen living at Lake Manchar was worsening.

A private medical officer of Band Manchar village, Dr Aftab Ahmed Bhand, said that owing to the use of polluted water, water borne diseases were spreading among local fishermen, and if fresh and clean water was not provided, it would be disastrous for human lives. Society for Research, Heritage and Development (SRHD) Chairman Roshan Ali Khushik appealed international organisations and government of Sindh to take measures for preserving boat culture and Lake Manchar.

SRHD Chief Operating Officer Dr Manzoor Ahmed Khushik advised international organisations and Sindh government to start granting loans for purchase farm animals to establishing small scale businesses in for survival of the area people.

Published in Daily Times, November 23^rd 2017.