Mon Mar 17 05:05:11 UTC 2025: ## Coastal Sindh Faces Further Degradation as New Canal Projects Threaten Indus Delta
**Thatta, Pakistan** – Residents of Pakistan’s Indus Delta are raising alarm over a government initiative to construct six new canals, fearing it will exacerbate existing environmental problems and lead to further land loss to the Arabian Sea. The project, part of the Green Pakistan Initiative, aims to irrigate barren land but critics warn it will divert crucial freshwater from the already stressed Indus River, accelerating the shrinking of the delta.
For decades, the Indus Delta has been shrinking due to dam construction and water diversion, causing the disappearance of dozens of coastal villages and forcing thousands to migrate. Villagers like Zahid Sakani, who lost his ancestral lands to the encroaching sea, are now facing the prospect of further displacement. The population of Kharo Chan, once a thriving area, has plummeted from 26,000 in 1988 to 11,403 in 2023.
The Green Pakistan Initiative, seeking billions in foreign investment, proposes two canals each in Sindh, Balochistan, and Punjab provinces. Five will draw water from the Indus River, while one will utilize the Sutlej River, a move criticized for potentially violating the 1960 Indus Water Treaty with India. Sindh’s Irrigation Minister, Jam Khan Shoro, strongly opposes the plan, warning that it will further desertify the province. The Sindh government argues that the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) lacks the authority to allocate water for the project, given existing water scarcity.
Experts like Hassan Abbas, an independent water and environment consultant, deem the Cholistan canal (part of the project) “unscientific,” citing the unsuitable terrain of sand dunes. The concern is that diverting water will further reduce freshwater flow into the delta, leading to increased salinity and land erosion. This mirrors the historical impact of canal construction, which has already drastically reduced the size of the delta by 92% since 1833, according to a 2019 study.
The environmental consequences are already evident in the decline of fishing, once a vital source of income for many residents. The World Bank reports that fish catches have plummeted from 5,000 tonnes annually in 1951 to a mere 300 tonnes currently, resulting in a $2 billion annual loss.
While the federal government dismisses Sindh’s concerns, residents fear the new canals represent the final blow to the already fragile Indus Delta ecosystem, leaving thousands more vulnerable to displacement and economic hardship. The future of the delta, and the livelihoods of its inhabitants, hangs precariously in the balance.
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