News & Events

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.