KARACHI: Sindh Engro Coal Mining Company (SECMC) is leading the way in biodiversity conservation, sustainable agriculture, and fish farming in Tharparkar, a statement of the company said on Thursday.
The company has launched several initiatives to improve food security and livelihood generation for the local communities in the desert region, where it operates the largest open-pit coal mine in Pakistan.
One of these initiatives is the bio-saline agriculture project, which started in 2016 and has successfully cultivated 16 edible plant varieties using underground saline water from the coal mines. These plants, including apple berries, livestock fodder and aloe vera, are tolerant to the high salinity and aridity of Thar.
SECMC has partnered with conservation experts from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and academics from Karachi University to train over 100 members of the local community in bio-saline agriculture techniques, creating sustainable income sources and preserving the fragile desert ecosystem.
Another initiative is the bio-saline fish farming at Gorano Lake, which was created by the accumulation of excess water from the coal mine. The lake has become a thriving habitat for over 10 fish species, such as Morakhi, Rohu, Theli, Kuriro, Gulfam, African Catfish, and Dangri, that provide nutrition and income to the local people. The project has distributed over 70,000 kg of fish and provided vital fodder to over 14,500 families during severe drought.
Gorano Lake has also emerged as a critical wetland for more than 425 migratory bird species, demonstrating SECMC’s commitment to ecological conservation.
