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Detailed Ecological Assessment Report 2008 – Keenjhar Lake
dozen hill torrents on the western side. Now it gets most of its water from Indus
River through canal. With this background, Keenjhar may be regarded as semi
natural lake. The lake is fed by the Kalri Baghar canal originating from Kotri
Barrage that enters at the northwest corners, and by many small seasonal
streams entering on the western and northern shores. The only outlet is through
the Jam branch canal at the southeast corner of the Lake (Anon, 2006). The lake
is known as the largest freshwater lake of the country and its main source is from
Indus River, however, some proportion of water is contributed from the run off
from the adjacent hills and torrents. The local villagers residing around the lake
are using water for their daily consumption (Anon, 2006). Keenjhar Lake is the
main source of water supply to Karachi and parts of Thatta district.
Anon (1999) described that at its initial stage the lake was around 18.5 meters
deep, however, due to subsequent siltation from River Indus the depth has
reduced to 5-6.5 meters. There are about 62 small and large villages around the
lake which fall in four Union Councils viz: Sonda, Oongar, Jhimpir and Chatto
Chan of Tehsil and District Thatta.
Sonahri, Chill, Ghandri, Chakro, Moldi, Dolatpur, Chilliya, Khambo, and Hilllaya
are the major villages. Jhimpir town is also situated on the north western bank of
the Lake. Before partition, it was surrounded by a population of about 40, 000
fishermen living in the villages mentioned above. However, with the construction
of link canal and gradual shortage of water the population of fishermen
communities started declining as evident from the table 12 (Anon 2006).
Table 1 – Comparison of fishermen population and fish production
Year Population
Fish Production
(Metric Tons)
No. of Boats
1988-89 24355 58000 2200
1998-99 11900 27000 1710
2005-06 10320 15650 820
Source: Anon (2006).
About 50,000 people are dependent on the lake. There are four fish-landing
centers at the Lake Viz., Khumbo, Chilya, Sonheri and Jhimpir. A total of 800
fishing crafts are operating in the area. The fishermen have their own fishing
territories and the local community defined them properly (Anon, 2006). For
example, the people from the Sonheri village have their own fishing grounds and
they never fished in the territories of the Jhimpir areas (Anon 2006).
The main casts/tribes present are Palari, Shora, Kapai, Gandara, Hilaya, Turk,
Katiyar, Khaskheli and Sarki etc. The major occupation of the community is
fishing and agriculture. People belonging to Palari, Shora, Hilaya and Turk tribes
are involved in agriculture around the lake. Pesticides are widely used in the
cultivated area. People have livestock especially buffaloes, goats and cows etc.
and they graze them in the buffer zone and around the lake. Other casts are
involved in fishing and commonly known as Mirbahar. The fishing practices of the
local communities are generally sustainable. The locals hardly use small mesh
size nets to catch the fish. The permanent circular nets placed in the lake locally
known, as “Gol Jaar” is also sustainable way of fishing.
WWF Pakistan – Indus for All Programme Page 3 of 165