Social media users protested against the contamination of Machar Lake, Asia’s largest freshwater lake situated in Sindh, on World Wetlands Day on Wednesday.

Located west of the Indus river, in Jamshoro District and Dadu District in Sindh, Manchar Lake is suffering from heavy chemical pollution due to artificial waste disposal. According to a report by We Are Water Foundation, the degradation of water has affected the livelihood of the surrounding indigenous community, the Mohana tribe.

The increase in salinity has a negative impact on mangroves and the entire ecological balance in the Indus delta. Twitter users voiced concern and urged the authorities to act against this environmental crime.

The problems began in 1982 when the government build a network of channels and drains on the right bank of the Indus, known as RBOD (Right Bank Outfall Drain). The purpose of the project was to prevent water logging and salinity that was destroying arable land around Larkana and Dadu.

RBOD increased salinity and Manchar Lake started to be polluted with industrial waste. The fish yield from the freshwater decreased drastically as it became unhealthy. The Mohanas lost their livelihood and many different diseases broke out, such as skins and eye infections.

On the occasion of World Wetlands Day, social media users took the opportunity to highlight this issue and engage all stakeholders in hopes for a positive outcome.