‘Pollution, deforestation devastating environment’

Earth Day seminar at Sindh Agriculture University highlights changing rain patterns

HYDRABAD:

The water and soil experts have expressed grave concern over drainage and discharge of polluted water in the Indus River, the deforestation, colonisation of green fields and growing salinity in the aquifers.

Speaking at a seminar organised on the occasion of World Earth Day by Faculty of Agricultural Engineering of Sindh Agriculture University (SAU), Tandojam, in Hyderabad on Friday, they also expatiated on the effects of temperature, climate change and non-seasonal rainfall.

They underlined that all those forms of pollution are very dangerous for earth and human health. They emphasised that all humans should adopt an environmentally friendly approach and follow the green practice of planting trees.

"The dangerous consequences of rising temperatures and climate change are beginning to emerge," said SAU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Fateh Marri. He pointed out that the said changes have been causing a drop in the agricultural products. According to him, the wheat and mango production has seen a decline in the country.

He said the water shortage was also affecting the rural economy to the tune of billions of rupees per year as the cultivable land turned barren and the sea encroached the land due to very low release of river water in the sea. "These problems have been affecting all humans [globally]. Therefore, it is necessary that everyone should work together to protect the planet."

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Prof Dr Rasool Bux Mahar, head of US Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water at Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, said proper irrigation techniques and suitable water use in the fields can save agricultural land from becoming saline or dry. He underscored the need of recycling domestic wastewater. He lamented that the urban population is detached from the practice of planting trees and turning their neighbourhoods green. "Consequently, we are facing environmental degradation and low rainfall."

Prof Dr Altaf Ali Sial, Dean Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and a water expert, said the riverine forests and mangroves are being destroyed ruthlessly to obtain the resources. "The unabated discharge of toxic water from the residential, commercial and industrial areas in the Indus River has led to a sharp rise in the presence of arsenic and other toxins in the river water," he informed. He added that the people driking the river's water without purification fall sick while the polluted water also destroyed the agricultural land.

He emphasised that federal, provincial governments, institutions and the general public People should take responsibility for the protection of the land. Dr Abdul Ghafoor Siyal, Dr Muneer Mangrio, Dr Mashooq Talpur and Amanullah Tanio also expressed their views on the occasion. A scientific poster competition was also part of the seminar while an awareness rally was taken out in the campus on conclusion of the event.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2022.