Daily Times

Senior Environmentalist of the World Bank, Mr Takeaki Sato, highlighted the negative impacts on the survival of Indus Dolphin from the construction operations of barrages, mortality in irrigation canals, depletion of prey base, fishing, pollution and poaching.

Takeaki Sato visited site of Indus Dolphin at up stream of Sukkur Barrage. Dr Ali Asar Mahisar, deputy director Environment SBIP, Abdul Basit Khan Deputy director Environment Project Coordination Monitoring Unit planning and development government of Sindh, Mr Iftikhar Ahmed Arain divisional forest officer Sukkur, Mr Adnan deputy conservative of Sindh Wild Life department government of Sindh accompanied the World Bank environmental safe guard mission.

During his visit at Indus Dolphin site at up stream of Sukkur Barrage, senior Environmentalist of the World Bank Mr Takeaki Sato said that there are many negative threats on the survival of Indus Dolphin from the construction operations of barrages, mortality in irrigation canals, depletion of prey base, fishing, pollution and poaching.

He further said that before constructions of barrages over Indus River, Dolphins move from Urban Sea to upstream at Himalayan in Indus River but due to construction of structures over Indus River has been fragment in compartment among barrages and confined the Dolphin movement.

However, he said that the shortages of the water between compartments also pushed Dolphins to movement in deep water like between Guddu and Sukur barrages.

He said that based on the historically pattern of decline, Indus Dolphin population are most likely to decline or disappeared, from reaches with low river discharge, particularly between the Sukkur and Kotri barrages in Sindh.

Furthermore, he said that dolphin may remain in deeper portion of the canal until annual closures, where the water level reduces, resulting in Dolphin mortality unless these dolphins are rescued.

Describing another impact depletion of the prey, he said that the over exploitation of the small fishes within the Indus by wide spread use of small size mesh nets in the river has adversely affected the prey base of Indus Dolphin. He said that fishing nets are commonly deployed for extended periods of time, including overnight which can result in Dolphin entanglement and mortality. He said that illegal fishing through the use of pesticides is also created harmful effects on the Indus Dolphin population.

He said that pollution is suspected to inhibit population increase of the Indus Dolphin. He said that untreated sewage especially from major towns along the Indus River is directly contributing to this pollution is does other domestic agriculture and other industrial pollution.

Regarding poaching, he said the Indus Dolphin was sought and killed for oil and meat for the use in traditional medicines until early 9170s, at which time a ban on this hunting was brought in to law.

He said that although poaching activities have dramatically decreased, since the ban, poaching still occurs is sporadically.

He said that in keeping the described threats to Indus Dolphin, SBIP-Sindh Barrages Improvement Project Funded with World Bank is financially supporting to Sindh Wild Life Department government of Sindh for population survey and rescue programs of Indus Dolphin. He said that rehabilitation of Indus Dolphin centre, main complex of wild life department at Sukkur and also constructions of Dolphin Watch Tower for tourists will be established.

He also visited the site of Rahoja Nursery of forest near Sukkur town and discussed with forest officials related with different species of tree and plants. He urged the officers of forest department for giving top priority for indigenous species to plant and avoids exotic species. He further said that financial support will be provided SBIP funded by World Bank for enhance the forest nursery in public park as common people of city can visit and take entertainment. He further visited Sundrani and Jahanpur forests located in Ghotki district and also supported a forestation in Riverine area for controlling erosion and enhance the Riverine eco-system. He urged that environmental flow is essential for survival and sustainable riverine eco-system