By: Kamran Khamiso Khowaja
THATTA: Water experts, members of civil society, politicians, and local fishermen have all termed the ongoing spell of rain and rising water flows at the Kotri downstream as beneficial for the survival and upgradation of the Indus Delta and the coastal region of Sindh. The recent rainfall and increase in water levels at the Kotri downstream have elated local fishermen, as it has enhanced their livelihood opportunities. Plenty of fish species have returned to the Indus River, which flows under the historic Dulha Dariya Khan Bridge connecting the Thatta and Sujawal districts.
“Water in abundance is a bounty for the Indus Delta, which has been facing degradation for the past couple of decades,” said historian and writer Zahid Ishaque Soomro. He added that the penetration of freshwater through the deltaic region is a natural process and is beneficial for the survival of the Indus Delta and its ecosystem.
Agronomist and water expert Obhaiyo Khan Khushik stated that the sea has occupied large hectares of land along the coastline, mainly due to the poor and insufficient flow of water at the Kotri downstream, which has caused serious damage to the biodiversity of the Indus Delta. “The deltaic area that was once fertile and green has reached the verge of complete devastation following water scarcity and the lack of timely water supply,” he claimed.
Syed Riaz Hussain Shah Sherazi, an MPA of the Pakistan Peoples Party and the focal person for flood emergencies, said that the water from the Indus River is enriching its vast riverbed, which comprises several kilometers, as it flows into the sea. He further mentioned that there was no serious threat of floods to the Thatta and Sujawal districts, as satisfactory measures had been taken to encounter any emergency.
Deputy Commissioner Sujawal, Zahid Hussain Rind, expressed his satisfaction with the steps taken to deal with the rain and flood emergency. He said that those living along the Surgari and Monarki protective dykes have been advised to move to safe places in light of the directions issued by the Sindh Government.
