Awareness-raising walk and Beach-cleaning Day at MCWC Site, Gwadar

Ozone Day Advocacy Walk at Gwadar.

The PWP’s, Makran Coastal Wetlands Complex (MCWC) Site Office in Gwadar celebrated Ozone Day, 2007, by organising two awareness-raising and advocacy walks for the conservation of coastal areas. These processions led up to a beach-cleaning campaign at Gwadar's West Bay on the Makran Coast on September 13th , 2007.

The ecology of the Balochistan Coast is under extreme pressure due to mega development projects like deep water ports and the ever increasing rate of human settlement. Such projects have resulted in increasing pollution by people ranging from improper solid waste disposal to oil and fuel leakage from boat engines. Increasing unsustainable use over the last few years has taken its toll on this once virgin coast line. If we are to reverse or even stem the damage unleashed on these coastal areas, the local community must be made aware of their responsibility to their surroundings. This is what the PWP has set about doing.

The two walks were planned in such a way that they covered the most important landmarks and passed by close to the key offices of the city.

The first walk started from Government High School, Jadeed, and led to the District Coordination Office, District Education Department, fish harbor road, Gwadar Port Authority Office and finally Gwadar Development Authority Office. This walk was led by Aslam Kethran, Assistant Director Environment, Gwadar Development Authority, and by Sohail Ahmed, PWP.

School children collecting waste on Beach-cleaning Day at Gwadar.

The representatives of other local NGOs including the Society for Empowering Human Resource, National Commission for Human Development and National Rural Support Programme all took part in the walk. The highlight of the walk was the enthusiasm shown by the students of the Government High School, Jadeed, Gwadar. Ahmed Bakhsh Lehri, Director General of Gwadar Development Authority, complimented PWP for organising the event and for sensitising the local public about the importance of clean and healthy beaches and for highlighting the efforts by the Gwadar Development Authority to keep the beaches of the Makran Coast pollution free.

The second walk which started from Government Model High School, proceeded to the Tehsil Municipal Administration office. The participants made themselves well heard as they passed Shahi Bazar, the Rural Coordination and the Development Council office and Sadaf Hotel Gwadar and reached West Bay. This walk was led by Abdul Ghaffar Hout, District Naib Nazim, and Abdul Rahim, Site Manager MCWC. The participants in this walk were representatives from IUCN, Balochistan Coastal Development Authority, Pakistan Fisher Folk, Pak-Oman Investment Bank and Meed Ithehad. The social activists, fishermen and media personnel from the District also joined the PWP team to emphasise the importance of the sustainable management of the coastal areas.

The two walks jointly involved more than 500 people including some representatives of Government, NGOs, local stakeholders, sportsmen, social activists, fishermen, sport hunters, drama artists and, of course, many school children. The Participants were seen displaying placards and banners bearing slogans urging the conservation of the environment and sustainable use of precious coastal resources.
Abdul Ghaffar Hout, District Naib Nazim, explained the importance of the activities of the day and reminded the participants that Islam teaches us about cleanliness and hygiene and that it is our responsibility and duty to ensure the well-being of the marine ecosystem and its many life forms. Our callous behavior towards our coasts is leading to their degradation and consequently jeopardising our own development. Coastal pollution causes complete change to or damages the marine ecosystem, potentially turning virgin coastline into desertified areas - a sharp contrast with the famous pristine beauty of Makran.

Around sixty people representing almost all walks of life participated in the beach-cleaning from Kohe‑e‑Bathel near the Coast Guard post to the Governor's Guest House of Gwadar West Bay. This activity appealed to their sense of responsibility and clearly evoked their passion for conservation of the coastal area and its environment.

The event provided an effective platform for motivating the general public to implement and support the wise-use of coastal resources.