KARACHI: The Provincial Minister for Environment and Alternative Energy, Shaikh Muhammad Afzal, visited Karachi Harbour on Saturday to witness the efforts of KPT towards protection of mangroves.
While speaking on the occasion the Minister opined that mangroves are very important part of our coastal ecosystem and all departments must adopt a safeguard policy for their restoration. He praised the work done by KPT.
The Secretary Environment, Mir Hussain, during the visit, informed that the Department of Environment and Alternative Energy, Government of Sindh, has taken concrete steps for the conservation of mangroves.
The projects which are detrimental to these coastal forests are required to go for other alternatives during their Environment Impact Assessments.
The KPT Marine Pollution Control Manager Fayyaz Rasool briefed the Environment delegation about Karachi Port Trust efforts. He said that the KPT has taken stringent measures for the protection of mangroves under its jurisdiction.
KPT has adopted strategy for their protection by intervening directly to curb the illegal poachers, involving other law enforcing agencies to apprehend the culprits.
Mr. Fayyaz informed the delegation that KPT has assured the demolition of encroached area beyond the boundaries and that the mangroves plantation will be carried out by KPT and locals jointly. It was also planned that local watch and ward system will be developed and adopted for the protection of mangrove. Any illegal cutting will be reported to KPT officials for timely action, he added.
He informed further that the Marine Pollution Control Department of KPT has established mangrove nursery of two species of mangroves viz Avicinnia marina and Rhizophora mucronata. Two thousand of these have been grown and are ready to get transplanted in the denuded areas of the harbour.
Additionally, the naturally regenerated willing was also transplanted in the denuded areas by KPT, he added.
Moreover, he said that efforts are made to assist the natural regeneration by protecting new recruiters from any physical barrier. These efforts are significant and new patches of mangrove vegetation be observed in the eastern backwaters. Fifteen hundred mangrove plants were planted in the Chinna Creek, he added.
Mr. Fayyaz said further that Karachi Port Trust is undertaking remedial dredging to rehabilitate any wetland from siltation in the eastern back waters, these are silted gradually, after the stoppage of Mehmoodabad pumping station by KW&SB.
The sewage with heavy loads of silt is being carried out at eastern backwaters and has raised the low lying areas difficult for mangroves vegetation to colonize.
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