Searing Heat - An eye-opener for people at the helm of affairs: expert

By Our Staff Reporter KARACHI- The recent spell of heatwave in Karachi should serve as an eye-opener for people at the helm of affairs and as such they must adopt precautionary measures before more damage is caused in future, opined UNDP-GEF Small Grants Programme’s national manager, Masood Lohar. “2010 floods in Sindh, heavy rains and cyclones in some parts of the province in the last five years were clear indications of climate change, but the authorities concerned did not pay head to the warnings of experts,” he deplored. He also warned that three major cities of Sindh will submerge in sea due to climate change in future, if the federal and provincial authorities failed to maintain level of water at Kotri downstream. He said supply of water to Kotri downstream has drastically dropped in last few years, but the authorities concerned failed to ensure supply of water as prescribed by experts to control submerging of coastal areas into the sea. He urged the government to maintain inflow of 40 million feet of water on regular basis at Kotri downstream so as to help regulate monsoon system in the country. Quoting from a report of Senate’s Standing Committee on Science and Technology about possible submerging of Karachi and other coastal districts into the sea by 2060 and sinking of Thatta and Badin districts into the water in future due environmental changes, Mr Lohar termed it an issue of `grave’ significance. In such circumstance, he said “we have to prepare for climate change as the temperature of many cities will rise in future and authorities concerned should make comprehensive study and research to find solution.” UNTREATED WASTE: He said untreated industrial waste and the city’s effluents were also being dumped directly into the sea, thereby causing global warming and climate change. Pakistan Meteorological Department’s former director general Dr Qamar-Uz-Zaman said that increasing pollution in Karachi was a major environmental issue.