DADU, Nov 19: Release of saline water from the RBOD into the Manchhar Lake has wiped out 32 of 41 species of fish which used to inhabit the lake before its waters got saline and poisonous.
The extinction of the species has dealt a severe blow to livelihood of thousands of fishermen.
The RBOD or the main Nara valley drain releases every day 600 to 700 cusecs of saline water into the lake.
Only nine species that have survived the pollution in the lake are: Catla Catla, Labeo Rohita, Labeo Calbasu, Cirrhinus Mirgla, Cirrhinus Reba, Wallago Attu, Mastacembelus Armatus, Oreochromis Mossambicus and Gullo (local name).
Jumman Mallah, an old fisherman who lives in Gahi Charo Goth, said that RBOD’s water had destroyed grass and plants in the lake, which served as feed and breeding place for fish.
The pollution has also affected the remaining nine species as they do not gain weight.
Allah Ditto Mallah, another fisherman, who lives in Arooni Goth said that his day’s catch weighed only 4kg to 5kg, mainly small fish, which he sold for only Rs10 per kg to local contractors.
“It’s too little to feed my 12 family members,” he complained.
Qasim Mallah of Mohammad Khan Mallah village said that the effect of RBOD water on fish breeding became visible in 1990 but the fisheries department had not taken any preventive measures since then.
He demanded that the department should set up fish hatcheries in Manchhar area to protect what had remained of fish species in the lake.
In-charge of Basic Development Needs (BDN), a WHO-project, Mohammad Ali Memon, said that the recent tests of water from Manchhar showed it had levels of total dissolved salts (TDS) at 7,321 mg per litre, chloride at 2,788 and ph at 7.52 per litre, which meant the water had become dangerously polluted and unfit for human consumption.
The higher levels of pollution and salinity had destroyed plants and grass in the lake resulting in extinction of fish species, he added.
Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum Vice-President Ghulam Mustafa Mirani said that 65,000 fishermen used to live in Manchhar area before 1990 out of whom 25,000 had since then migrated to other areas.
He said that the RBOD’s water had created an environmental nightmare and demanded that the government should make arrangements for releasing seeds of extinct fish species into the lake and excavate a new canal from the Indus River to the lake to keep pollution from reaching dangerous levels.
RBOD superintending engineer Altaf Soomro claimed that 40 per cent work on the project had been completed and the remaining work would be completed by December 2008.
Livestock and Fisheries secretary Siddique Memon said that fish hatchery at Bubak would be used for producing seeds of fish to be released into Manchhar Lake.
BOAT SCHOOL: The Sindh Education Foundation has opened a boat school in Mohammad Khan Mallah village in the Manchhar area on Saturday.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, SEF executive director Mashood Rizvi said that the boat school cost Rs225,000 and 40 girls and 30 boys would get primary education at the school.
He said that similar schools would be set up in other villages of Manchhar. The SEF financed 27 primary schools and 14 women literary centres running in Manchhar, he said.
EDO (education) Asghar Leghari assured that the government would provide free of charge books to all the students of boat schools.
SEF manager Abdul Fatah said that the foundation would organise free medical camps in the area as the local fishermen population had high rate of hepatitis-B, C and tuberculosis diseases.
The chief executive of the Johi Organisation for Rural Development and Natural Disaster, Bakhat Jamal Soomro, deputy district officer social welfare, Mehtab Memon and Daman Ali also spoke on the occasion.
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