Rise in pollution linked to decline in marine population

Environmental pollution has emerged as the most serious threat to marine life in Pakistani waters since it has been adversely affecting marine turtles, sea birds and other water species.

The one-third of Karachi’s solid waste, which is around 12,000 to 14,000 tons, finds its way to the Arabian Sea through nullahs, while the entire city’s sewage and industrial waste is already being poured into the sea without any treatment, resulting in a rapid elimination of marine life in the Pakistani waters.

This was stated by speakers on Saturday during a briefing session at a beach cleaning drive organised by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) – Pakistan and other partners to mark International Coastal Cleanup Week at the Sandspit Beach.

More than 400 students from public and private schools participated in the event which was also attended by representatives of the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), other civil society organisations, and a large number of media representatives.

A total of 300 bags of garbage were collected by participants and disposed of at a dumpsite at Jam Chakro with the help of the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board.

Speaking on the occasion, WWF-Pakistan technical adviser Muhammad Moazzam Khan said the Sandspit Beach could be a potentially rich habitat for green turtles if the site remained undisturbed and safe for these amazing reptiles.

“According to an estimate, there are more than three thousand turtle nests on this important beach. But this area has become more vulnerable due to beach developmental activities, encroachments and other anthropogenic threats,” he said.

“The major threat to the marine turtles at the beach is disposal of plastics, rubbers, glasses and leathers that interfere with their nesting cycle”, he added.

Khan pointed out that about 12,000 tons of solid waste was generated in Karachi on a daily basis; of which about 40 percent was collected and disposed of at Jam Chakro and Goand Pass, whereas the remaining was either burnt or found its way into sea through runoff of nallahs and rivers.

He urged the visitors not to litter the beaches by disposing of their waste, especially plastic bottles and wrappers.

Engineer Zahoor Ahmad, assistant director of the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board, said his organisation was endeavouring to remove solid waste from the city, however, because of limited resources all waste from the city was not collected and taken to a dumpsite.

He pointed out that very soon all solid waste from the city would be properly lifted and recycled. He appreciated the efforts of the WWF-Pakistan for arranging the cleanup event which, he said, would help create awareness among students and other stakeholders.

Dr Muhammad Khursheed, director general of the South Asia Cooperative Environment Programme (SACEP), Sri Lanka, also took part in the drive and collected garbage to clean the beach.

Dr Babar Khan, the WWF-Pakistan regional head for Sindh and Balochistan, shared that turtles maintained the health of the sea and poaching turtle babies and their eggs was punishable under the federal and provincial laws. “Removing them from the waters negatively impacts the marine ecosystem,” he added. 

He said a spinner dolphin was found dead at the beach on Saturday and it seemed that the fish had become a victim of the sea pollution. 

He also called for adequate disposal at dumpsites and controlling unauthorised dumping of garbage at beaches in the city. Dr Khan also stressed the need to create awareness among the public about rational use of plastic and promote the use of recyclable materials.

In order to encourage contribution towards nature conservation, certificates of participation were distributed among students who pledged to not only protect the ecologically important sites but to spread this message among others.

The participants appreciated the WWF-Pakistan initiative which was part of the International Coastal Cleanup activity. The WWF-Pakistan has been arranging similar cleanup activities on turtle beaches and other areas along the coast of Pakistan.