Sindh Govt has decided to revive Haleji Lake: Murtaza Wahab

THATTA: Sindh’s Adviser on environment Murtaza Wahab has said that the government has decided to revive Haleji Lake in Thatta district, ARY News reported on Friday.

He was talking in a meeting here, which was attended by provincial secretary environment, officials of Wildlife Department, water board and the district officials.

The meeting also discussed the steps to restore the water reservoir as a sanctuary of the migratory birds.

Concerned officials and experts gave detailed briefing to the environment adviser over the matter.

Wahab urged for revival of the lake to its earlier serene beauty. He said Haleji is an alternate source of water supply to Karachi.

He also directed for restoration of the lake as a tourism place.

It is to be mentioned here that the Sindh government had earlier decided to revive the Haleji Lake in 2016 as an alternate source of water supply to Karachi.

The project was included the lake’s rehabilitation, including strengthening of its embankments and constructing an 18-kilometre new canal for water supply.

The project was later kept on back-burner due to unknown reasons.

Haleji, is an earth-filled artificial lake spread over six square-miles, was formed in 1940 during World War II, when the then British government of Sindh decided to increase the capacity of the lake by introducing a feeder canal from River Indus.

Located 70 kilometres from Karachi, Haleji Lake was once considered Asia’s largest bird sanctuary as it was attracting thousands of migratory birds between November and February and was termed a paradise for bird lovers.

In 1994, the irrigation department cut off the lake’s feeding canal from its original source, Keenjhar Lake, when it built the Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD). The lake was later reduced to a stagnant reservoir for saline water.