1. Without any protection, turtles face extinction
2. Marine pollution threatens Karachi suburbs
3. Life in Asia's biggest lake faces extinction threat
4. All that glitters is garbage
4. Blind Indus Dolphin faces extinction threat
Without any protection, turtles face extinction
The giant marine turtles along Pakistan's coast of the Arabian Sea are dying out. Excessive killing, marine pollution, human ignorance, poaching and government apathy are some of the reasons this hard-shell creature is threatened with extinction.
Beach watchers make fun of this innocent, ugly reptile. Ignorant picnickers often try to break the hard shell of the turtle if it comes out of the sea. Coastal pollution caused by untreated discharge of industrial and municipal waste, the failure fishing trawlers to use turtle excluder devices (TEDs) and the eating of turtle hatchlings by roaming dogs and birds are adding to the mass killing of these endangered species.
"Some people ride on the turtles, which causes the animal to suffocate and die," said Fahmida Firdous, an official with the provincial Sindh Wildlife Department.
Karachi's beaches, particularly Sandspit and Hawksbay, are the nestling points for two rare species of turtles--Green (Chelonia Mydas) and Olive Riddley (Lepidochelys Olivacea). The green turtle is the dominating species.
Turtle eggs are supposed to be more nutritious than hens' eggs, and turtle soup and turtle steak are expensive delicacies in Far Eastern countries, particularly in Japan. "Its fresh blood can cure even the worst asthma," Fahmida Firdous said.
This attracts hunters to kill members of this endangered species despite a complete ban on hunting, poaching or killing them. Pakistan is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which prohibits trade in turtle products.
(Published by The Earth Times (US) in May 1999)
The ecosystem in and around the coast Karachi in southern Pakistan is dangerously stressed due to uncontrolled industrial and municipal waste being discharged directly into the Arabian Sea.
The unbridled aqua-pollution has earned the Karachi coast the notorious distinction of being the ‘most polluted’ coast of the country.
Being the largest city with a population of over 13 million, Karachi is the hub of commercial and industrial activities and has got at least five major industrial areas with thousands of industries, most of them located around the coastal belt. Industrial effluent generated by these factories in Sindh Industrial Trading Estate (SITE), Korangi, and Landhi areas are directly discharged into the sea through Malir and Lyari rivers, virtually without any treatment. The worst hit portion of Karachi coast is the Korangi/Phitti creek, where the effluent from Korangi, Landhi, Karachi Export Processing Zone, Bin Qasim Industrial Areas having a 1400 MW thermal power station, and country’s largest industrial unit - Pakistan Steel Mill - are directly discharged into the sea. In the Korangi industrial area alone, at least 2500 industries, including about 135 tanneries, are disposing off their untreated waste in the sea.
The city’s two ports - Karachi Port and Port Bin Qasim - also contribute towards the coastal pollution. According to an estimate some 20,000 tons of oil is added to the blue waters of the Arabian Sea annually through bilge cleaning, leakage from vessels, accidental oil spills and refinery effluent. Marine life mangrove plantations and human settlements along the 40-km Karachi coast are being endangered due to high level of contamination in the sea. Local environmental experts rank Karachi Coast as the most polluted portion of the 990-km stretch of the coastal belt.
Besides the industrial toxic waste, organic waste from the nearby cattle colony comprising liquid dung mixed with blood from slaughterhouses is drained into the Korangi creek. Industries and cattle pens simply use these creeks as ‘disposal drains.’
Discharge of organic and toxic waste from tanneries is considered as one of the main sources of water pollution. Pakistan Tanners Association (PTA) in collaboration with a Netherlands organisation is trying to install a treatment plant in Korangi, but it is not expected to go into full operation for another three to five years.
(Canadian Asian News April 1999)
Life in Asia's biggest lake faces extinction threat
Survival of a pre-historic fishermen community in and around the Asia's biggest sweet-water lake--Manchar Lake is endangered and the flora and fauna here face extinction threat because of contamination of its water.
Located in Dadu district of north-eastern Sindh province of Pakistan, Manchar Lake is the abode of the Mohannas, who made the waters their habitat for thousands of years new. Numerous species of flora and fauna had been thriving there as well.
The "amphibious" Mohanna people spend almost their whole life on boats, though now their umbilical link with the lake and its flora and fauna may meet with doom.
Unchecked disposal of effluent and chemical waste from factories and cities of the northern--most populous and powerful-Punjab province has created a danger of life of the lake as well as general agriculture in the area.
(Published in The Earth Times on May 29, 1997)
An innovative idea may give some relief to over 12 million beleaguered residents of Karachi, Pakistan's port city and commercial capital, who are increasingly worried at not having any efficient garbage disposal system.
After the city's premier civic body Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC), rife with ethnic politics, utterly failed to dispose all 8,000 tons of garbage generated in Pakistan's mega city through its system, some private voluntary organisations have picked up the gauntlet.
To encourage people to separate their dry and wet refuse and then dispose it at a collecting camp, a local NGO--Gul Bahao (literally translated into Spread Fragrance)-- has given an innovative idea of garbage bank. "Garbage is gold, do not litter" is the slogan of the local bank, called, "Safai-Kamai Bank", which is translates into Cleanliness-is-Income Bank.
(Published in The Earth Times on May 29, 1997)
Blind Indus Dolphin faces extinction threat
Blind Dolphin, the unique specie of river Indus, locally called "Bulhan" is facing a threat of extension as despite concerted efforts, the number of the specie is not increasing.
A latest survey, jointly conducted by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Sindh Wildlife Department (SWD), a few months ago showed about 458 dolphins, confined between Guddu and Sukkur barrages area (about 100 km) in Indus.
The construction of barrages over Indus has resulted depletion of the dolphin from other areas except the area between Guddu and Sukkur barrages. According to the survey, not a single specie was found in the Sukkur to Kotri stretch.
The number of dolphins is not increasing since last many years due to unknown reasons. The last census of the specie was conducted by SWD officials in 1993, which showed the about 500 dolphins.
Prior to construction of the barrages, the Indus Dolphin was found in the entire Indus, even in lower Punjab. According to a local folk lore, once a milk supplying women, living in Manghopir near Karachi refused to supply milk to Pir (saint), who pushed her into the river, who later converted into dolphin. This shows that the specie was available near Karachi in Indus, which was used to flow there and later changed its course.
According to WWF sources, it was once found throughout the Indus River System in the rivers Indus, Ravi, Sutlej, Jehlum and Chenab about a 100 years ago.