Daily Times

Renowned economist Dr Kaiser Bangali has said that there are two reasons behind the destruction of Manchar Lake, one of them to construct Main Nara Valley Drain (MNVD) and the other is construction of Right Bank Outfall Drain (RBOD-I).

He said that for the revival of the lake, the polluted water of MNVD being released should be purified through treatment plants.

He was speaking one-day conference on topic of Revival of Manchar: Challenges and Options organized by Sindh village development program an initiative by Sindh Associate of North America- SANA at village Bajara Taluka Sehwan located at embankment of Manchar Lake on Sunday.

It was attended by intellectuals, writers, journalists, civil society organizations activists and local fishermen and water experts.

He suggested tourist industry can be developed at Manchar Lake. He said that widely economic can be generated at Manchar Lake through fishing process and tourist industry at Manchar Lake. He said that jobs can be created. He said that conference centre can be established at Manchar Lake like Bhurban.

He said that it was ill planning here and small type schemes were introduced by legislators. He said that billions of rupees were spent. He said that it needs planning to developed area. He said that it needs to discuss policy matters and there was same situation for Manchar Lake to discuss policy matter. He said that it needs a master plan for future solution of Manchar Lake. He said that it needs to establish tourist industry, fish processing industry and forests generations to be a part of master plan. He advised to submit a petition in SC Supreme Court for economy murder of Manchar Lake. He advised to organize a Manchar March from Manchar Lake to Karachi. He advised to work on legally, technically and politically for survival of Manchar Lake.

Renowned civil society representative, writer and intellectual Jami Chandio said that corrupt bureaucracy, corporate sector and ruling class was responsible to affect the atmosphere. He said that it was most need urgent need to protect other creatures living on Earth.

Vice chairman of Pakistan Fisher folk forum, local fisherman, Mustafa Meerani said that once Manchar Lake was prosper and culture was promoted, and boat culture was famous. He said that this boat culture and economy was destroyed. He said that annually 3000 metric tonnes of fish were supplied before 90s. He said that once it was supplied to all parts to country with best quality.

A renowned scientist Dr Ali Murtza Dharejo said that once it was bio diversity of other creatures at Manchar Lake as it was destroyed/ ended. He said that environmental migration occurred at Manchar Lake. He said that people had lived on boats and schools were established on boats but all people were migrated and it was large and big environmental migration has occurred at Manchar Lake.

Famous social and political activist Dr Ayoob Shaikh said that it needs for solid and perfect planning for solution of Restoration of Manchar Lake.

Renowned environmentalist, Nasir Panhwar said that it was need to establishment Manchar Lake development Authority for local fishermen and Manchar Lake.

WWF representative Altaf Shaikh said that recently a project was completed at Manchar Lake and it was started for survival of local people in December 2019. He said that seed was supplied to fishermen at lake.

Speaking to the technical session at conference, Prof Dr Mohammad Yar Khuhawar ex- Prof of Chemistry department of Sindh University Jamshoro presenting his research said that he collected samples in 1985 from Manchar Lake. He said that day by day, water was polluting more. He said that in June and July water become more poisonous and TDS- Total dissolve salts recorded mostly till 7000 PPM. He said that this water remains harmfully for human lives. He said that salts remains change in all period of year. He said that due to extending of surface area of lake , evaporation was decreasing. He said that Hamal lake water was like Manchar Lake.

Dr Anila Naaz Soomro a Prof of Fresh water biology of Sindh University Jamshoro said that 25 years back, verious kinds of fishes were caught but now there are less kinds of fishes were caught. She said that due to not availibity of fresh water, kinds of fish were ended. She said that flow of water from Nai Gaaj was main sources of fresh water for Manchar Lake but it was not flowing into lake.

Ex secretary irrigation, engineer Khalid Hyder Memon said that Punjab province was stealing technically. He said that 35 percent water was stealing. He said that opening of flood canals were illegally. He said that Sindh government has no active part to stop water stealing by Punjab. He said that according water Accord, water has to be released at downstream of Kotri barrage. He said that construction of RBOD-1 was criminal act. He said that delay of RBOD-II was creating problems for increasing pollution in lake. He said that Nai Gaaj dam has 80 percent area in Balochistan and water was being stopped to releasing water into Manchar Lake. He said that construction of 16 to 18 small dams in area, it was threat for survival of lake Manchar.

Superintendent Engineer of Manchar Lake area Sajid Ali Bhutto said that for solutions of revival of Manchar Lake, irrigation department has arranged experts from World Bank also. He said that due to climate change, flow of River Indus has reduced. He said that to maintain levels at River Indus at close to Sehwan to release water into Manchar Lake. He said that falling of rains were reduced hence Manchar Lake was receiving low water quantity.

He said that due to construction of Nai Gaaj Dam, low quantity will be released to lake till 50 cusecs only. He said that irrigation department was not releasing water into River Indus in dry season. He said that if water will be released into River Indus in dry season, it would affect the human lives at up and downstream of Kotri barrage.

Prof of Sindh Agriculture University of Tandom Jam University Dr Altaf Syal said that Manchar Lake was started to destroy from early 1980 due to construction of RBOD-1 and RBOD-III were dangerous for Manchar Lake. He said that polluted water was released into lake from both drainages. He said that total water was being released into lake annually 1.6 million acre feet water annually through different sources. He said that every year quantity of salt was increasing into Manchar Lake day by day.

Sajid Ali educationist scholar and local inhabitant said that it was more potential to promote tourism at Manchar Lake.

Mazhar Ali Talpur an expert of Dams and water said that it needs to adopt and propose for solution of revival of Manchar Lake. He said that through megnit technology, the matter can be resolved.

Mujahid Shah a local inhabitant demanded for dry the Manchar Lake and clean it all silt up. Syed Mohammad Zahid a local farmer demanded for construction of Sehwan barrage for feeding water to Manchar Lake.

Ealier, Dr Aijaz Turk related with SANA,- Sindh associate of North America said that culture and civilization of Manchar Lake destroyed. He said that Manchar was not only lake but it was a culture and civilization. He appealed to Sindh and federal and international communities to protect Manchar Lake and human lives living in and around Manchar Lake.