Experts Demand Strict Implementation On Wildlife Hunting Ban In Tharparkar

The experts demanded strict implementation of the ban imposed on wildlife in Tharparkar in order to save deer, hog deer, partridge, rabbit and antelope of desert land

HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Mar, 2023 ) :The experts demanded strict implementation of the ban imposed on wildlife in Tharparkar in order to save deer, hog deer, partridge, rabbit and antelope of desert land.

They suggested that Avian Research Center should be established where research remedies for diseases found in peacocks and other birds of Thar.

The experts made these demands and suggestions during conclusion of the two-day 1st International Conference on "Biodiversity of Arid Zone" organized at the sub campus of Sindh Agricultural University, Umer Kot on Thursday.

According to university spokesman, the experts also recommended drought-tolerant crops for the sustainable development of Thar as well as production of climate tolerant new crop seeds and they also emphasized to establish a research center in Thar in order to save bird species.

The international conference was organized by the SAU Sub Campus for development of the desert areas of Sindh, where several national and international experts presented their research papers and participated in the discussion session.

Dr. Fateh Marri, Vice Chancellor Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam, Dr. Jan Muhammad Marri, Pro Vice Chancellor SAU Sub Campus Umer Kot, Dr. Sarosh Lodhi, Vice Chancellor NED University Karachi, Dr. Bekharam Devrajani, former Vice Chancellor Liaquat Medical University Jamshoro, Dr. Aslam Uqaili former Vice Chancellor Mehran Engineering University Jamshoro, well-known writer Prof. Noor Muhammad Jhinjhi, Dr. Zakir Dahri, Director General Pakistan Agriculture Research Council and other experts presided over different sessions in which approximately 170 abstracts were presented for conference proceedings.

As per conference themes, 02 plenary sessions and six panel talks were also held apart from technical sessions.

After sessions and paper's presentation, the experts prepared their recommendations. The experts observed that livelihood of 35 percent of people of Thar depends on agriculture and 36 percent on livestock, therefore, holding international conference on biodiversity of arid zone by the newly established Sindh Agriculture University Campus Umer Kot will be a service to researchers, scientist, policymakers and common man.

The experts said that with this event, they were able to collect facts and prepared recommendations that may resolve the commonly faced challenges by people of Thar.

The experts said 30 percent Camels of Sindh are kept by people of Thar, therefore, the academies, public and private research organizations and food industries should jointly make efforts on increasing productivity of camels. They emphasized commercialization of camel milk and making byproducts from camel milk for economic prosperity of herd-men.

They urged that Cheese making from goat milk needs promotion. They also recommend export of organic cheese made from goat milk as in Tharparkar, goat milk is 100 percent organic and can catch the international market for earning huge foreign exchange.

The experts also emphasized that the drought resistant crop varieties and medicinal plants available in Tharparkar needs further detailed research to find out the remedies for newly introduced diseases like lumpy skin disease in livestock, chickunguniya and dengue fever in humans.

The experts also recommend preservation of culture, agriculture and heritage in the form of museums at the cities of Umarkot, Mithi and Nau Kot.

They observed that seed needs a drop of water to germinate therefore they recommended introduction of drip, sprinkler and circular irrigation on solar system. The depth wise new under-ground fresh water resources should also be identified and explored in the area, they suggested.

The experts observed that for uplift of agriculture in arid zone, all stakeholders like HEC Islamabad, HEC Sindh, FAO-United Nations, AZRC-PARC, Hamdard University Karachi, Bayyer, SPO, SAMMI, Civil Society Support Program, Umer Kot Citizen Forum Fatima Fertilizer, Aware, SIAPEP, Agricultural Research and Sindh Livestock Department have already set an example of their support in this cause.