HYDERABAD: Speakers at a panel discussion in the Hyderabad Spring Festival, organized under the auspices of the Sindh Culture Department, Murk Theatre, and Bakh Organization, expressed grave concerns over the reluctant attitude of the Provincial Government towards the issue of Climate Change and the utter silence of the general public over it. They mentioned that developed countries of the world had taken the issue of Climate Change and global warming seriously, but here, people were not even aware of its severity.
Environmental activist Ali Izhar mentioned that unabated felling of trees had made urban areas of Sindh alarmingly warm, adding that land mafia had resorted to plotting in areas where dense forests lay. Qabeer Bheel lashed out at the Provincial Government for not taking environment-friendly measures. He proposed strict legislation against chopping trees and killing deer and other endangered species. "In other countries, rivers and trees have been granted rights similar to those of human rights, but here, even human rights are not completely implemented," he said, adding that the Indus Delta had also been facing constant degradation due to the non-release of the required quantum of water in the Kotri downstream.
Zain Dawoodpoto mentioned that global warming had left an adverse effect on human mental health across the world, adding that green atmospheres were responsible for releasing positive hormones and neurons in the body that brought happiness and calmness. Besides panel discussions on climate change and global warming, the event featured a documentary video on the destruction of Sindh's biggest freshwater lake, Manchar, made by environmentalist Sawera Altaf.
Later, emerging Sindhi singers and artists performed musical concerts and stage plays to mark the arrival of spring. Chief organizer of the event, Dr. Kazbanoo, and her husband, Dr. Asif, while sharing their views with TFT, said that the event aimed at making the general public realize the importance of spring festivals, which had been an integral part of South Asian history.