Can Manchar Lake Survive Its Toxic Waters?
News Desk
DADU:Once known for its thriving fisheries, traditional boat culture and rich aquatic life, Manchar Lake is facing a deepening environmental crisis as saline and polluted water continues to pour into the lake, threatening both its fragile ecosystem and the communities that depend on it.
The deterioration has become increasingly visible in the lake’s water quality. According to officials, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in Manchar Lake have reached around 4,000, reflecting dangerously high levels of salinity.
Shir Mohammad, an official of the Sehwan Irrigation Department, said the lake’s water level had risen to approximately 112 feet Reduced Level (RL). However, the increase in water level has done little to ease concerns over contamination, as nearly 2,000 cusecs of saline and polluted water continue to enter the lake through the Main Valley Drain.
For generations, Manchar Lake has been more than a body of water for nearby communities. Its fisheries have provided food and income, while boats and fishing have remained closely connected to the social and economic life of local residents.
But as water quality deteriorates, the lake’s traditional economy is coming under growing pressure. The decline in fish resources has already affected families whose livelihoods depend on fishing, leaving many struggling to maintain their incomes and raising concerns over food security and economic insecurity.
Environmental degradation is also placing the lake’s wider biodiversity at risk. Rising salinity and the continuous inflow of polluted water could further damage aquatic habitats and accelerate the decline of fish and other species that have historically sustained the lake’s ecological balance.
The crisis has prompted calls for authorities to move beyond monitoring water levels and urgently investigate the sources of contamination entering Manchar Lake. Environmental experts and community representatives say identifying the causes of pollution and introducing effective remedial measures are essential to preventing further deterioration.
For communities living around Manchar, the issue is not simply about polluted water. It is about the future of a lake that has supported generations of families—and whether its waters can once again sustain the people and ecosystems that depend on them.
Unless decisive measures are taken, the continuing flow of saline and contaminated water could turn Manchar Lake’s environmental decline into a deeper social and economic crisis.
