HYDERABAD: Crossing the open gateways of the famous picnic resort Keenjhar in Thatta district during the lockdown, one could understand why contaminated waste was still flowing in to the second largest freshwater lake of Pakistan.
Community activists believe that the wetland, supposed to be a source of freshwater, was receiving poisonous industrial and municipal waste, despite the fact that all factories have reportedly been closed under the government’s decision following the global novel coronavirus pandemic.
Irshad Umar Gandro, a member of Keenjhar Conservation Network (KCN), a self-motivated group, residing in the Soneri village near the lake said the people of neighbouring villages at the mouth of the inlet were vulnerable and facing problems because of contamination.
The water flows through Kalri Baghar (KB) feeder, originates from Kotri barrage to feed the Keenjhar Lake, which is the major source of supplying water to Karachi city, Thatta district and a large number of the communities residing in neighbouring areas.
Community activists claim they have protested with the concerned irrigation department officials to resolve the matter instantly to avoid any health issues. Contamination does not only affect water quality, but also the lives of people who depend on the lake for freshwater.
People living around the lake also complain of a bad odour wafting off the water. However, authorities have turned a deaf ear to all the complaints and dumping of effluents continues throughout the route of KB Feeder canal without check.
Gandro said those who do not reside near the lake could not imagine the situation on the ground. “The freshwater lake is continuously receiving contaminated waste water from Kotri industrial area and cattle and poultry farms, and municipal waste from Kotri and Jhampir towns. Kotri town waste flows in to KB feeder canal, while Jhampir, being located along the lake, dumps sewerage water in the freshwater,” they said.
The lake is a Ramsar Site and the government declared it a wildlife sanctuary in 1977 under Sindh Wildlife Protection Ordinance 1972. Around 800 small fishing boats operate in the lake for fishing, providing a source of living to more than 50,000 families. Pollution has a negative impact on life and livelihood of the people living near the lake.
Reports gathered from the community people show that due to increasing water level in the lake, fish catch has declined. Some fishermen believe that fish usually move to the bottom when the water level goes up.
This leaves the fishermen in a spot, who do not know where to cast their nets. Activists, who have a background in fishing, attribute lack of fish to loss of vegetation in the lake. Ghulam Rasool Khatri, a former official of WWF-Pakistan, who has a long time association with the fishing communities of Keenjhar Lake, suggests conducting a fresh study to assess the water quality after lockdown.
“These factories are supposedly closed under the government order following the lockdown, but the community perception is different. Authorities should take this into consideration and resolve the problem of pollution in the lake,” he said.
He said industrial chemicals have destroyed natural vegetation in the lake. “Vegetation is where the fish lay eggs. When these breeding grounds are destroyed, fish species disappear,” he explained, while also pointing out that the number of migratory birds has also declined drastically.
The activists said Inland Fisheries Department put 4.5 million fish seed in the lake five months back, which was now ready for catch. “Usually the canal (KB Feeder) itself is the main source of brining natural fish seed and fertile silt from the river. But due to chemical waste, the canal brings only heavy metals and skeletons of dead animals,” they said.
Muneer Abbasi, assistant director Sindh Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) Hyderabad, refuted the claims made by the community people about industrial waste. He said industries were not defying orders of provincial authorities over the lockdown. But, he said there was no mechanism to avoid the flow of sewerage to freshwater bodies.
It might be continuing to spill in the lake even during these days. “In fact this municipal waste can damage the ecosystem, besides contaminating the water quality,” the SEPA official said.
According to community activists, Keenjhar Lake receives waste through two sources, Kotri and Nooriabad Industrial areas. But municipal waste from two towns, like Kotri and Jhimpir and cattle and poultry farms located near the KB Feeder also contribute in contaminating the freshwater body.
They said that an artificial reservoir was supposed to store industrial waste near Nooriabad industrial estate, which overflows in the rainy season and pollutes water stream flows into the Keenjhar Lake.
They recall the April 14-15, 2012 disaster, which devastated fish, cattle heads, turtles, and jackals. Carcases could be seen floating on the lake surface for many days, they lamented.
Later, a study was conducted following the incident, which found that chemical was dumped under rainy river called Haroolo Drain, which flowed in the lake after a few minutes rainfall. The devastating consequences were also suffered by the communities dependent on the lake.
Community activists point fingers to government departments like fisheries, irrigation, tourism, industries, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB), SEPA, and wildlife departments, which do not play the right role in saving Keenjhar.
The way forward, the community people suggest was to restore vegetation, which could be done by stopping the stream of industrial chemical and municipal waste through all sites.