HYDERABAD, June 8: The country will suffer huge losses during the next five years if steps were not taken to check deforestation.

This warning came from environmentalists at a seminar here on Tuesday.

The seminar was held in connection with the World Environment Day at the press club here on Tuesday.

The National Coordinator of the UNDP-GEF Masood Lohar said Pakistan was signatory to the UNO convention on environment, therefore, it was its responsibility to plant forests on 20 per cent of its land.

He said that unfortunately only five per cent of forestry could be seen on the ground, adding that agro-forestry had greatly been decreased.

He warned that if any damage was caused to Sukkur Barrage in the next floods, the entire agricultural system would be destroyed.

He said Phulelli canal water was extremely harmful to human life and the concerned authorities know about this fact but no action had been taken in the matter.

A professor of Quaid-i-Awam University and environmentalist, Riaz Memon said that Siachen glacier was the biggest in the world which was melting very fast.

He said Indian army had constructed a helipad at the glacier as a result which its melting speed had further increased.

Sometime back, this glacier used to collect 80 per cent snow while only 20 per cent snow melted but now the situation had reversed, he said and added that India, Pakistan and Bangladesh would be seriously affected due to this reversal.

General Secretary of Hyderabad Press Club, Ishaque Mangrio, Professor Abdul Khaliq Ansari of MUET, Akash Santwarai, Shoukat Ali Soomro and others also spoke on the occasion.

Expressing their concern over the ever-increasing environmental pollution in the country, they called upon the people from all walks of life to launch a joint struggle against environmental pollution.

The seminar on “Forest: Nature at your service” was sponsored by Hamdam Development and Welfare Organisation.