Keenjhar Lake - a cultural heritage

A cultural heritage of Pakistan and wetland of vital socio-economic importance, Keenjhar Lake locates at a distance of about 122 km East from Karachi and about 20 km north and north - east of Thatta town. Originally, the union of two lakes (Sonehri and Keenjhar) formed this semi-natural freshwater resource of the country.
The lake declared as a Ramsar site (internationally protected under the International Convention on Wetlands or commonly known as Ramsar Convention that was held in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971), a protected safe haven under the Sindh wildlife laws. The main source of the lake is river Indus while it gets supply of overflow water from the adjacent hills and torrents. It is 24 km long and 6 KM wide with an irregular shoreline of about 192 km. its maximum depth is 26 feet and total area is about 9842Ha.
Unique and beautiful species of plants including flowering lotus and reed beds particularly in the shallow western and northern parts gives the Lake status of wildlife heaven on Earth. The natural shrubbery of the surrounding area is tropical thorn forest. The Lake is rich in fish fauna and supports the income of about 50,000 local people.
Near the Lake, a small area of Mangrove trees of Avicinia maina is present. Camels of local communities depend on this area for their food requirements. Among reptiles, snakes like cobra and saw-scaled viper are famous. The lake gifted with a rich wealth of natural resources comprising mainly 55 species of fish, 263 species of aquatic and terrestrial plants, 51 species of birds and almost 98 species of large and small mammals. Surrounding areas of the lake provide ideal habitat for almost 23 species of reptiles and amphibians. Monitor lizards and spiny-tailed lizards are permanent residents in and around the Lake.
Historical background of the Lake
Keenjhar Lake is famous for the folk story of Noori Jam Tamachi.
The presence of Noori's cemetery at the midst of the lake adds elegance to the picturesque landscape and beautiful scenery of Keenjhar Lake. Noori belonged to the fisher's community lived around the Keenjhar Lake during the 15th centaury.
Simplicity of Noori symbolizes the grace of Keenjhar Lake. She won the heart of Jam Tamachi, the Samo ruler of lower Sind. Lake witnessed the purity and sanity of their true love. The king put aside his royal status and brought her to his palace. Being native of the lake, she never forgot her morals and remained humble forever. The legend of their happy lives has become part of the Sindhi folklore as described by Shah Latif (famous poet of Sindh).
According to one version of this story, Jam Tamachi's attentions towards Noori made his other queens jealous and one day out of jealousy, they poisoned her to death. The cemetery of Noori visited by Hundreds of devotees and tourists on a daily basis.
Heaven on earth for birds
Keenjhar Lake is among those lakes of the World where tourists get opportunity to experience nature's beauty at its best. Sights and sounds of migratory birds make the Lake an excellent view site for bird watchers. Keenjhar Lake is one of the favourite places for many species of birds. The winter-birds ducks and geese, shorebirds, flamingos, cormorants, herons and egrets, ibises, coots, gulls, terns etc come during the cold season from Siberia and other Central Asian states. Their flyway route also known as Indus route or green route.
It is an important breeding and staging area for a wide variety of terrestrial and migrating birds and According to a data, about 65 species of waterfowl found here. Mid winter waterfowl recorded up to 205,000 in the past (1987-88) and reduced to 13,760 in 2006. Fish-eater birds for dining on small eels, fish, and even water snakes dive from the surface. The breeding birds reported from this wetland are Night Heron; Pheasant tailed Jacana and Purple Moorehen. Cotton Teal has disappeared in the recent years.
Threats and dangers
Rising level of pollution around and inside the Lake has been drastically damaging its beauty and charm.
This largest fresh water resource of Pakistan has been facing dangerous environmental challenges such as industrial waste, increased agricultural activities, population growth, rapid urbanisation, drainage system, grease from vehicle washing and motorised fishing boats.
Indus for All Program's Site Manager for Keenjhar Lake Zahid Jalbani, said, "The highly contaminated industrial effluent, which comprises highly toxic waste from hundreds of industrial units of Kotri and Nooriabad, is being poured in the lake without proper treatment."
For the past 20 years, the production of fish has reduced to hazardous level. According to a report pollution of the lake with the growth of parasitical plants and useless grasses causing deoxygenating of the water and affecting the growth of fish.
Another report holds "non-observance of conservation measures; diversion of freshwater to bypass canal
during the monsoon season when juvenile fish are abundant in the river water, unsustainable exploitation, fishing of juvenile stock and pollution" responsible for reduction of fish growth in Keenjhar Lake.
Appearance of extraterrestrial insidious species of fish and plants are also causing harm to other species for
example Tilapia species is a frequent breeder and an omnivore.
Hence, these alien species have become more abundant in the lake thereby restrain the native species like Rohu, Thaila and Morakhi which cannot breed in confined areas.
Local industries of Kotri dispose off their wastes in Kalri Baghar (K.B.) Feeder, which is the feeding source of Keenjhar. Moreover; growth of Australian un-rooted parasitical plant is another source of Pollution affecting the growth of fish. Most of the cities and towns of Punjab and Sindh discharge their municipal and industrial wastewater into the Indus river. In Jhampir area, there are coal, silica sand and other mines. The mining/crushing produce waste, which may move/flow with storm water through Jhampir into Keenjhar Lake. The wastewater of Jhampir village also finds its way into Keenjhar Lake.
Another major problem in Keenjhar Lake, experts believe, is the eutrophication. The lake water is being enriched with nutrients, causing abnormal plant growth. Surplus of chemical fertiliser and pesticides from cultivated fields may trigger this phenomenon. A study report states, "The agriculture run off flows through the surface drains into Keenjhar Lake raising the turbidity and nutrient load. These nutrients are for algal growth/bloom, which were found at different locations of the lake."
Around 35-40,000 people are reliant on the lake. Washing cloths and utensils near the Lake by villagers have increased the level of phenol in water.
At the eastern bank of the Lake, local people have chopped down trees to fulfil their fuel need. Concerned authorities have warned that sewage and garbage from the communities in the vicinity many fish and vegetation species are dwindling in number and diversity in the Keenjhar lake is on the decline. A study conducted by the WWF in 2008 states: "The incidence of malaria, diarrhoea, skin disease, typhoid and jaundice was very high in all villages at Keenjhar Lake while the incidence of skin diseases was found at alarming level.
According to a study, approximately 1,000 visitors come to the lake every day for recreation.
Tourists throw garbage such as empty soft drink cans, food item wrappers, polyethylene bags, plastic bottles and papers near the edges of the lake.
Last month media reports reveals that a large number of fish, a turtle, four cows and the same number of jackals were found dead after consuming water of a rainwater drain feeding Keenjhar Lake. In many parts of the lake, the colour has changed to blue or green with a strange odor, with dead fish and other animal cadavers floating in it. High concentration of urea in the Keenjhar Lake drain is believed to have caused these deaths of aquatic species and animals.
It is our earnest request to the irrigation, fisheries, wildlife, environment and tourism departments to take solid actions for saving the ecology of Keenjhar lake.