Wetland Protection Committee 1st
Quarter Review Meeting
The wetland protection committee first
Project review meeting was held on
April 6, 2010, in order to review 1st
quarter activities carried by Sangat
Development Foundation with
coordination of Sindh Wildlife
Department Sindh, and supported by
Indus for All Programme-WWF
Pakistan.
Mr. Nisar A. Brohi Director, Sangat
Development Foundation gave a
detailed presentation on the first quarter
activities. He said that 10 community
mobilization meetings were held in 10
sites villages with a view to create
awareness in the community regarding
community based wetland management
approaches and also indigenous
communities role in the conservation of
wetlands biodiversity.
Mr. Brohi further said that baseline
ecological survey of the selected sites of
Chhachh and Yari Wari wetlands was
conducted for collecting current data
about fauna and flora and also know the
existence conditions of the fauna and
flora.
The ecological survey has documented
very critical condition of fauna and flora
on two wetlands sites, stating that due
to climate change and drought
conditions many flora species have been
depleted from the wetlands sites in Deh
Akro-II area, which were once provided
habitats to the fauna species. Due to
stoppage of fresh water flow and
seepage from Jamrao and Nara Canals 1 ,
the wetlands water has converted into
salty, poisonous and become vulnerable
to the fauna species, especially for the
marine biology of the wetlands. The
most endangered specie is the marsh
crocodile residing in the wetlands.
According to the survey a number of
fauna species either died or stopped
visiting to the wetlands.
The survey suggested in its
recommendations immediate and
urgent measures to protect the rare and
endangered species and also save
wetlands and their biodiversity.
Mr. Brohi further added that following
major additional activities were also
carried out to boost up the project
activities.
• Formation of Village Based Wetlands
Protection Committee in 10 Villages of
the wetlands site.
1
The fresh water flow and seepage in the wetlands
has been stopped due to increase of cultivation of
agriculture lands in the sanctuary area.
• Organized Nature Walk on the eve of
World Wetlands Day 2nd February
under the theme of this year “Caring
for Wetlands-an answer to climate
change”
• Organized Tree activity Plantation on
the eve of Valentine Day,14th
February 2010
• Held Mch Kachahri at Deh Akro-II
Wetlands Site on International Mother
Language Day 21st February 2010
Visit of Wildlife Sanctuary Staff of Deh
Akro-II to Sangat Head Office,
Nawabshah
The Wildlife Sanctuary staff of Deh Akro-
II visited Sangat Development Foundation
Head office Nawabshah on dated 8th April
2010. The team was led by Qaim Khan
Dahri, Wildlife Inspector of Deh Akro-II.

• Celebration of World Water Day

March 22, 2010: Water, Wetlands and
Forest

They were given a detailed presentation

by Nisar A. Brohi, Director, Sangat
Development Foundation on the project
interventions for the conservation and
protection of the biodiversity of Deh
Akro-II.
The all committee members of the
protection committee were on
consensus that it is indispensable, first
to resolve the water supply issue of the
wetlands, because the survival of the
fauna and flora is associated with the
fresh and sweet water provision to the
wetlands.

The wetlands protection committee was

presided over by Mr. Saleem Raza
Jalbani, Game Warden District Shaheed
The local staff of the wildlife department
Benazir Abad and attended by Mr.
expressed their full commitment and
Ghulam Sarwar Jamali, Deputy
support in the rehabilitation efforts of the
Conservator, Hyderabad Zone, Mr.
resources of the wetlands. They further
Nisar A. Brohi and Ameer Hamza of
said that community ownership approach
Sangat Development Foundation, and
would have larger positive impact on the
Community representatives, Mr. Faiz
wetlands and their biodiversity
Panhwar, Mr. Ali Nawaz Bhatti, and
conservation.
Mr. Ghulam Rasool Narijo.
The Conservator, Wildlife
Department, Government of Sindh,
along with Game Warden visited the
Community based wetland
management project area in Deh
Akro-II
Mr. Hussain Bux Bhagat, Conservator,
Wildlife Department, Government of
Sindh, along with Mr. Saleem Raza
Jalbani, District Game Warden, Mr.
Ghulam Sarwar Jamali, Deputy
Conservator, Hyderabad Zone, Mr. Aftab
Akhund, Manager Partnership Fund,
Indus For All Program WWF Pakistan
and Mr. Usama Anwer, Site Manager,
WWF, Nawabshah office visited Sangat
Development Foundation Head Office
Nawabshah and also paid field visit of the
project area and also held meeting with
indigenous community of Deh Akro-II
wildlife Sanctuary.
Mr. Nisar A. Brohi, Director, Sangat
Development Foundation warmly
welcomed the team in the head office and
later on gave detailed presentation on the
progress of the project and also shared the
issues and challenges of the project area.
He further said that first quarter project
all activities have been successfully
completed and also the project team
undertook additional activities such as
village based wetland protection
committees’ formation and folk Katchary in
the area in order to ensure the effective
involvement of indigenous communities
in the conservation and protection of
biodiversity of the wetlands.
Mr. Brohi further said that all efforts are
aimed that to develop the ownership
approach of the indigenous communities
of wetlands and understanding of
sustainable management and use of the
natural resources of the wetlands for their
next generations.
Mr. Hussain Bux Bhagat, Conservator,
Wildlife Sindh, appreciated the efforts of
Sangat Development Foundation for
mobilizing and organizing the local
communities of desert wetland complex
of Deh Akro-II and developing their
understanding for their biodiversity of the
Wetlands.
Mr. Bhagat further said that the
indigenous communities should be
effectively involved and developed their
ownership in conservation and
management of the wetlands resources as
these resources could be utilized and use
by the local communities on the
sustainable basis.
 Mr. Saleem Jalbani, District Game
Warden, while talking on the occasion
said that the community should come
forward to protect the local species on the
wetlands.

Unless, the local community would not

play their due role in the protection and
conservation of the natural resources, the
degradation of the wetlands and their
biodiversity could not be stopped, the
local community should realize the
importance of the proactive role in the
While talking with the local communities
of Deh Akro-II wetlands, the Conservator
emphasized on the local community and
their representatives that they should play
their due role in the efforts of
rehabilitation of wetlands and the
protection of wetlands biodiversity.

He further said that the local community

should avoid from unnecessary cutting of
the plants and also over grazing of herbs
and shrubs of the wetlands, because these
flora resources are not only means of the protection and conservation as well as use
livestock survival but also are the habitats of the wetlands resources.
for the fauna of the wetlands, such as
birds, wild animals and also crocodiles. Mr. Jalbani also raised the water provision
Therefore, there is need of sustained issue for the wetlands, because lack of
efforts for the conservation of wetlands fresh water supply is one of main issues,
resources. which has extremely affected biodiversity
of the wetlands.
Mr. Bhagat further added that due to
large scale degradation and unsustainable During the meeting in Sangat Office, it
use of natural resources of Deh Akro-II was decided that WWF, Sangat and Sindh
wetland complex, posing not only a major Wildlife department would jointly make
threat to the wildlife of the sanctuary but all possible efforts for the fresh and sweet
also resulted into a major climate change water supply to the wetlands, as life on
in this desert area. the wetlands should be restored and
revived.
Due to unsustainable use and degradation
of tree plants, the indigenous tree species
have largely been diminished from the
local areas, causing shortage of food and
fodder for the local community and
livestock of the area.