By By Jan Khaskheli
Smoke flows from small kilns some distance from the roads on the way to coastal towns such as Keti Bunder, Kharo Chhan and Shah Bunder. Hundreds of locals, who earlier depended on livestock, agriculture and fishing, have found an alternative form of livelihood, cutting down trees and selling the wood. The timber is purchased by kiln owners in these areas. The kiln owners then produce coal, and sell it to several markets in Thatta and Karachi. Therefore, for the local communities cutting trees and plants has become an attractive business.
Indus Delta which was once rich and productive is now completely infertile. Hundreds of families have already migrated to Karachi and other coastal towns in the Thatta district. The increasing desertification and sea intrusion is forcing the remaining communities to migrate to safer places in search of livelihood. The Indus deltaic region was the major contributor of paddy, sugarcane, banana, honey and dairy products to the country’s economy through the export of these products to the Gulf States. Ports such as Keti Bunder and Shah Bunder used to attract foreign importers for trade through cargo ships. However, now they have lost their attraction.
Gulab Shah, a local small landlord and fishermen representative from Keti Bunder said that since there is a shortage of downpours in the entire area, the fertile lands have turned into barren lands. The trend of cultivation is declining rapidly because of the shortage of water. Apart from this the families depending on the livestock have sold out their animals because there are no more grazing fields available. There are a few lucky influential landlords who are still able to cultivate their lands and are forcing the local land owners to sell their lands to them, he elaborated.
According to the local activists, the coastal people earlier were engaged in poaching poisonous snakes from the area and sold them to traders who manufactured traditional medicines. A large number of people used to carry iron bars and roamed around the desert in order to catch snakes from the sunrise to sunset. The price of these snakes, mostly poisonous wiper species ranged from Rs60 to Rs150 each. However, by now these reptiles have become extinct.
Nawaz Kumbhar, a local environmentalist, who is running an organisation, engaged in preserving the flora and fauna in Achhro, Thar Sanghar district, stated, “Unfortunately, acute poverty has forced people to cut down trees in their courtyards.” After building the roads which link Sanghar, Nawabshah, Khairpur and Mirpurkhas towns have provided an easy access to greedy people, who use tractor trolleys and trucks to transport wood for commercial purposes, playing havoc for the community. Some people allegedly sell firewood to the road contractors for burning stones and other road materials.
Several traders sell fuel wood to various kilns, producing bricks, violating the constitution, which prohibits people from engaging in this practice. However, the concerned forest department officials claim otherwise. According to them they have been taking measures for the protection of forests and scattered trees in the province.
Dr Karam Rustamani, President Sindh Green Development Organisation, says the entire Kachho arid zone is under threat due to the frequent cutting of trees and plants. He allegedly said the Revenue and Forest department officials have been involved in this business, which may further destroy the wildlife. “The endangered trees, which were a major source of fodder and honey, provided a livelihood to many local families, while several birds and wild animal species have become extinct due to this illegal practice,” he concluded.