Mismanagement by successive governments in Pakistan of its waters has resulted in destruction of the Indus Delta, one of the largest echo systems of the world.
Mismanagement by successive governments in Pakistan of its waters has resulted in destruction of the Indus Delta, one of the largest echo systems of the world. The thick mangrove forests have been narrowed to an area of 182,000 acres from 600,000 acres before the construction of large dams and barrages.
Before the construction of dams and barrages, up until 1918, the Indus Delta had thirteen creeks, however, now the number has shrunk to a meagre one creek.
Mohammad Ali Shah, water analyst, activist and author of Rivers, Dams and People, while talking to The News said that the delta created in millions of years, was destroyed in around 50 years or so by constructing dams.
Shah said every rivers had a last destination; the sea, which was stolen away from River Indus. “If it does not reach the destination with natural flow, it cannot be called a natural river,” he said. “This river has been controlled. Currently, it is in flood, which is its natural flow.”
According to official data of Sindh Board of Revenue, nearly 1.2 million acres of land has become a part of the sea with a rise in its level till year 1999-2000. However, Shah claimed that more than 3.5 million acres of land has been claimed by the sea. Three districts of Sindh province have been badly affected by sea intrusion.
In the next 40-50 years, Karachi would also be under threat. “Historically, the river had controlled the sea from rising, but when you controlled the river, the sea will move upwards,” Shah said.
Coastal ecosystem expert at IUCN and author of “Mangroves of Pakistan-Status and Management” Dr Tahir Qureshi said historically there were 600,000 acres of mangrove forests with six different species in Sindh, where last rulers of Sindh, Talpurs, had declared hunting sites. Tigers and Ibex were found there. The delta was spread over the whole coast of Sindh all the way till Indian border. Several local clans were settled there, who grew several crops including red rice, which were exported to Africa and other parts of the sub-continent.
Before the earthquake of 1918 on the coastal belt of Sindh, the river had 13 flowing mouths (creeks), which were reduced to eight after the earthquake. Today the living delta is restricted to only one mouth, Khobar creek.
Shah Bunder and KT Bunder had become debris in the wake of the 1918 earthquake. One KT Bunder city came under water and one was destroyed in the earthquake. The third city of KT Bunder was developed at its current site. The old KT Bunder was a rich taluka of Sindh and had even given a loan to Karachi Municipal Corporation. Rice mills were located there, debris of which can still be found on the site. In those days, Thatta district was the richest in livestock in Sindh.
Figures of 1892 show there was discharge of 150 million acre foot (maf) Indus water in to the sea annually, which contained 400 million tonnes silt load and delta was formed with the average of 35 to 50 meters per year. With partition of Pakistan and India in 1947 waters were divided. After Indus Waters Treaty 1960 with India, three eastern rivers Sutlej, Beas and Ravi went to India while Indus, Jhelum and Chenab remained with Pakistan.
Later Tarbela and Mangla dams were constructed on Indus Water System along with several barrages, where canals drew the water for irrigation and hydro power generation purposes. Thus, no water was left for the delta.
Climate change caused an increase in the sea level, which has resulted in sea intrusion and sea erosion. Besides, low water discharge doubled the worries of the people, agriculture, livestock, mangrove forests, and fisheries. “Climate change has shown its impact and sea is moving upwards through water ways of Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD),” said Abdul Aziz Brohi, a villager of Kadhan, district Badin.
According to research done by International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) there is need of 35 maf water discharge below Kotri Barrage (last barrage on Indus River) to control the sea intrusion. According to 1991 Water Accord, at least 10 maf water should be discharged Kotri downstream. “Currently, only 3 to 4 maf water flows below Kotri only for 3 to 4 months of summer with exemption of big floods,” Qureshi said. “Otherwise sea intrusion has increased gradually. Because of no or low discharge of water below Kotri, sea is flowing up to 44 kilometres upstream in the main Indus River Course.”
Mangroves, that serve as nurseries of shrimp and fish have been affected at the larger scale. Out of 600,000 acres of mangroves before construction of dams and barrages, now only 182,000 acres are left in the Indus Delta. Nearly 27 to 33 percent plantation of mangroves is classified as dense. “1.2 million acres of land in three talukas of Thatta district only were submerged in sea water, which has caused losses to agriculture as all that land was cultivable,” Qureshi said. Such losses resulted in losses to fisheries.
Karachi’s Korangi Creek was once a part of the Indus River System. Nearly 100,000 acres of mangroves were cut in Karachi only for the purpose of evacuating land for residential purposes. Thus, urbanisation also affected the delta.
Qureshi blamed the government for the consequences caused after a decline in the water flows to the sea. “Since 1947, sea has not been the priority of the government,” he said. “Fisheries from delta provided millions of dollars to the exchequer in exports of fish and shrimp. Besides, there are minerals, oil and gas yet to be harvested, which will enrich the economy.”
Giving reference of On-Farm Water Management Research Project jointly prepared by Pakistan’s Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) along with Colorado State University of the US in 1979, he said, total water resources of Pakistan stood 206 maf from surface water, usable ground water and precipitation (rainfall). Out of which, about 100 maf water is wasted in seepages and distributaries because of mismanagement. “With scientific management of this irrigation system, we can have surplus water,” he said. “Now, Wapda is producing only one-sided reports.”
Suggesting measures to overcome losses of Indus Delta, Qureshi said, allowing 150 maf water to flow into the sea was no more possible. “Government of Pakistan should allow at least 27 to 35 maf water downstream Kotri barrage round the year, which is still the minimum requirement of the coastal riverine ecosystem, which contains people, fisheries, agriculture, livestock, and mangroves.”
He said even scientists in the country had failed to make any policy for the conservation of the Indus Delta.
Currently, there is flood in the Indus Delta area of Sindh. A local activist and grower from Thatta Gulab Shah told The News that it was the first flood after 2010. He had seen only five floods in the last 36 years starting from 1979. “The flooding of the delta is benefitting the mangroves, which are nurseries of shrimp and fish,” he said.
Narrating causes of the high flood this year, he said sea level has gone up, and the river, with only one creek “Khobar” to spill water was not enough.
Since river beds were filled with silt and sea level rose, a flood of around 600,000 cusecs of water below Kotri had flooded the villages, which was not a case with the floods of 2010 and earlier.
Pir Dino Shah, a villager of Deh Jhaalu, KT Bunder said that with sea intrusion, several growers had become fishermen, as their lands had become a part of the sea. Talking about the current floods the said, “During floods, they (the central government) divert all the water towards us. Besides, there is no planning or management of the sea water.”
Qadir Dino, another villager, said they received no drinking water for six months a year while the government was restricting the water for hydro electricity generation.
“They should use other sources of power generation and not deprive us of water,” he said. “They open doors of dams during the flood season, which causes a manmade flood.”
Instead of assuring water availability for the eco system of Indus Delta, Wapda is working on four new dams that include Diamer Bhasha Dam, Kurram Tangi Dam, Munda Dam and Akhori Dam along with various small dams and storages. It has not included highly controversial Kalabagh Dam in its future projects, as it was strongly opposed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces.
The writer is a staff member
