November 04, 2009
Role of media in raising environmental awareness highlighted
Thatta:
The seventeen member delegation of Forum of
Environmental Journalists (FEJP) Lahore visited Keenjhar Lake to
witness the issues being faced by the Lake. The visit was organized by
WWF. The delegation visited village Aaz Mohammad Jakhro and observed
various interventions including bio gas plants, no cutting zone of
typha reeds, no hunting zone of birds, nursery established by Indus
for All Programme- WWF Pakistan in collaboration with partner
community organization. They also visited floating boat house
established by UNDP-GEF and local NGO to promote eco tourism. Earlier
they visited low cost houses near Jhirk. Speaking on the occasion the
Programme Coordinator Indus for All Programme, WWF Nasir Ali Panhwar
said that environmental issues has no geographic boundary and hence
every one particularly media should play its role in raising
awareness. He hoped that the exposure visit to three sites of Indus
for All Programme including Pai, Chotiarion and Keenjhar would be
useful for the visiting journalists and now they would be in much
better position to write on the issues based on their observation. He
said that environmental reporting based on primary source would add
value and stressed the need for honest and accurate reporting of
local, regional and international environmental and development
issues. He said that in Sindh WWF is working with Indus Journalists
Forum on number of initiatives to enhance capacity in environmental
reporting.
The National Coordinator UNDP-GEF Masood Lohar said that country is in
the state of emergency with regard to environmental issues. Climate
change is affecting the economy and ecology as hostile weather
patterns are being experienced with acute water shortages. He said
that protection of coastal eco system is vital for the entire country
and not just for any province, as the benefits of the delta are
derived by the country as whole. He said that monsoon is developed and
regulated by the coastline. He said that it is high time that we
should stop tempering the costal eco system on an urgent basis. He
urged the need of people to people contact within the country as it
would bring better understanding and harmony.
The President of Forum of Environmental Journalists Raja Riaz said
that the exposure visit has not only helped them to understand the
environmental issues but they have learned a lot about social and
culture dynamics of province. He said that message of peace and
harmony of sufis of Sindh needs to be promoted across the country. It
is imperative in the current situation of the country. Zahid Jalbani
and Hafeezullah of WWF briefed the delegation about various
interventions in Keenjhar Lake and Keti Bunder. Amir Mehmood of WWF,
Masood Mahaser of Research & Development Foundation also spoke at the
occasion.
The delegation comprised on journalists working for newspapers,
magazines, and electronic media including Syeda Wasim Fatima APP,
Sadia Qureshi, Daily Jang, Imran Sheikh, The News, Samar Mehmood, The
Nation, Rab Nawaz Bajwa, APP, Ali Raza, The News,Itrat Bashir,
Business Recorder, Zaheer Mehmood Saddiqui, Dawn , Iqtidar Gillani,
The Nation, Manzoor Qadir, The Post, Shabbir Sheikh, Daily Times,
Shahbaz Anwar, Daily Express, Shoaib-ud-Din Ahmed, Nawa-i-Waqt, Raja
Riaz, Star Asia T.V , Amir Sohail, Radio FM 103, and Irfan Nazir, Geo
T.V.
