Pakistan’s Indus River Delta, where the Indus River emptied into the Arabian Sea, is in the midst of an acute environmental disaster. This damage threatens the homes and livelihoods of local farm and fishing communities. Over the last few decades, seawater intrusion has become more severe. Consequently, local livelihoods have been decimated and entire villages erased. Once a seething cacophony of life, the delta now struggles with increasing salinity rates and a dramatic loss of the delta’s historic freshwater flow. This dire reality has displaced many thousands of residents from their homes. Real world challenges are now the norm. Unfortunately, now they’re adjusting to that picture-perfect model of reality.
Given climate change and damming of headwaters, the challenges facing the Indus Delta have increased dangerously since the 1950s. Downstream freshwater inflow to the delta has crashed by up to 80%. This decline has been largely due to the building of irrigation canals and hydropower dams as well as the detrimental effects of climate change on glacial and snow melt in the area. Over a quarter of fertile land in the delta has gone fallow. The loss in turn hits agriculture and fisheries—cornerstones of local livelihoods—very hard.
The Impact of Seawater Intrusion
It has devastated farming and fishing communities spanning the Indus Delta with seawater intrusion. Salinity levels have increased by nearly 70% since 1990. Consequently, stretches of once-vibrant agricultural lands have become too poisoned to plant. This dramatic change has caused dramatic decreases in shrimp and crab populations. Consequently, local fishers are already experiencing further economic strain.
Habibullah Khatti, a resident of an affected area, shared his experience:
“The saline water has surrounded us from all four sides.”
This incursion is a major blow to domestic food production. It puts the cultural heritage of communities that have relied on these resources for generations at risk. Fatima Majeed, another local inhabitant, expressed her despair over the situation:
“We’ve haven’t just lost our land, we’ve lost our culture.”
The deteriorating situation in the town of Kharo Chan shows the extreme effects environmental shifts in the delta are having on this population. The town’s population has since shrunk from 26,000 in 1981 to only 11,000 as of 2023. In the past 20 years alone, an estimated 1.2 million have been displaced from the Indus delta area. This sustained and traumatic displacement has shaken the foundations of all Tacoma’s residents to their core.
Historical Context and Ongoing Challenges
During the British colonial rule, one of the biggest alterations to the Indus River’s natural course was implemented. To protect and nurture their agricultural base, they constructed extensive canal and dam networks. This long history of human intervention has profoundly impacted the river’s natural flow, contributing to current challenges such as reduced water availability and increased salinity.
Muhammad Ali Anjum, an environmental expert, succinctly captured the current crisis:
“The delta is both sinking and shrinking.”
Climate change has exacerbated these issues, creating unpredictable weather patterns and an abnormal glacial melt season. Together, these factors have formed a perfect storm. It jeopardizes the livelihoods and life itself of communities across the mid- and southwest region of the state.
Initiatives for Restoration and Support
With these projects, the Sindh government is leading the charge in combating environmental degradation. They’re rolling out a large-scale mangrove restoration initiative to restore coastal forests that serve as natural buffers against advancing saltwater intrusion. Mangroves have a tremendous impact on the overall protection of coastal habitats and in fostering healthy ecosystems.
Additionally, in 2021, the Sindh government worked with the United Nations to implement the ‘Living Indus Initiative.’ With inclusive watershed management practices that engage local communities to promote environmental protection, this initiative aims to address the increasing degradation of the Indus River Basin. These efforts run the gamut from conserving water to restoring ecosystems to creating policies that help local communities adapt to these dramatic environmental shifts.
Local residents like Haji Karam Jat emphasize the urgency of addressing their plight:
“A person only leaves their motherland when they have no other choice.”
Still, this optimism has an air of desperation from those who call the delta home as they try to adapt to an unpredictable future. The continued degradation of their surroundings has resulted in a severe loss of cultural identity and sense of community for thousands of families.