Industrial waste threatens aquatic life in Indus RAMZAN CHANDIO KARACHI - The untreated industrial wastewater and irrigation returns has become the real threat to the aquatic life of the Indus River, while the declining water flow of the river is aggravating the situation. It was disclosed in an official report by Sindh Irrigation Department. "With population growth and reduced water flows, prospects for Indus to remain unpolluted are quite slim', report observed. It further said the levels of oxygen were depleting organic contaminants from sewers, toxic compounds from industrial discharges and pesticides from irrigation returns are increasing in the Indus. Report says the toxic untreated industrial effluents caused rise in water borne diseases as well as many fish and other aquatic species have declined in number and diversity. If the situation is not reversed, further water degradation will occur and impact on the aquatic life, public health and other uses of water degradation is very significant, report cautioned. Highlighting the water resources for fish species as well for migrated birds, report said Sindh is home to many natural lakes. Manchar, Kinjhar, Haleji, Hadero, Chotiari, and many more small lakes are spread all over Sindh, report remarked and said most of these lakes were fed by the Indus. The Haleji Lake has also been declared a bird sanctuary. These lakes and wetlands are being degraded at an alarming rate in the lower Indus basin, report pointed out. The lakes in Sindh are an important source of the fish species and edible plants that grow in them and provide employment for many people living around these lakes. Also, these bodies of water are host to many species of birds, flora and fauna. With the destruction of these lakes and wetlands report said, many economic and aesthetic benefits drawn from them will be lost while some of these lakes in Sindh have become a shown signs of being polluted. Manchar, the largest lake in Sindh, has become a dumping ground for discharge from salinity outfalls originating in upstream, Sindh government said in its report and added that the Manchar ecosystem has thus begun to be destroyed. The fish and birds species of Manchar have not only reduced in numbers but also in diversity, report maintained. When contacted Nasir Ali Panhwar, an environment expert and representative of Centre for Environment and Development, told The Nation that in Sindh water sources were increasingly polluted due to untreated industrial and domestic wastes being disposed into the river and irrigation systems. The sewage treatment plants have not been built by industries in Sindh, he said adding that only 30 to 40 per cent of all solid waste were lifted by the local governments and there are no properly organized landfill sites in the province. In Karachi more than 6,000 industrial units are located along the coastline and Indus Delta. With the exception of few, most industrial units discharge their untreated effluent containing heavy metals and their compounds directly into sea. The marine environment around Karachi is highly toxic and fish and shrimps accumulate a high degree of lead. The need for certain minimum flow to sea, below Kotri to check sea intrusion has been recognized but yet to be fulfilled, he maintained.