KARACHI: City govt fails to provide facilities: Lack of safety at beaches
KARACHI, May 29: Despite start of peak tourist season at Karachi beaches from the middle of this month, the city government has failed to take any precautionary measures to protect the lives of beach-goers, while the only medical aid and rescue centre at Hawkesbay has been without medicines.
A large number of Karachiites visit Hawkesbay, Sandspit, Paradise Point and Cape Monze from May to mid October, where the maximum number of visitors can reach up to fifty thousands, especially during summer holidays, but incidentally this is a time which coincides with a high tide period.
To avoid any incident, section 144 used to be in force at all beaches during which swimming, water sports and even bathing were banned by the former deputy commissioner West in these beaches and the DC South for Clifton area before the devolution of power plan in August 2002. At present these powers rest with the City Nazim Naimatullah Khan.
Nonetheless, safety concerns are a very serious issue as on average about ten persons have lost their lives every year due to drowning, and the figure can only be checked by an extensive patrolling by 30 life guards of the city government, besides 14 of the KDA and around a dozen from the Edhi Foundation.
Due to the efforts of the last city administration, about 12 life guards from the PNS Himalaya also patrolled the Sandspit and Hawkesbay for the first time in 2001.
However, after the formation of the city government, none of these measures have been taken and the diving school of the PNS Himalaya has repeatedly called on the city government to clarify whether their services were required this year also. The response is still awaited.
According to an official of the Naval Diving School, all leaves of the seamen and officers have been cancelled due to the tense situation on the borders. “Despite all this we are ready to spare about 12 life guards for rescue services but the city government has not responded to our written applications and phone calls,” he added.
The city government and the KDA have their permanent presence there, while life guards from Edhi and Navy patrolled the beaches on holidays during the high tide seasons.
Apart from threats of drowning and collapsing due to water pressure, a large number of visitors need treatment if bitten by a marine jelly fish, the blue bottle.
Summer months are mating season for this marine jelly fish and it is found in abundance near the coast while its sting causes muscular pain and stiffening of abdominal muscles.
The emergency rescue centre (ERC) of the fire brigade department of the city government is the only permanent place where people can get treatment for blue bottle and other physical injuries.
Unfortunately, no medicines have been purchased for the emergency centre during the current fiscal year due to apathy of the finance department, while about 130 beach-goers, including about 50 women, were treated for blue bottle bite during the two days consecutive holidays recently.
The figure can rise many folds in the coming Sundays when those suffering from injuries and more blue bottle bites can be expected, whereas the ERC budget of Rs100,000 for medicines is most likely to lapse.
Though, the Karachiites are not too much fond of swimming and other water sports but despite the ban a large number of beach-goers are seen enjoying waves during the whole high tide season, which can be hazardous at times.
The ERC was re-established and transferred under the fire brigade department in 1998, the year when 11 youths of the city fell victim to monstrous waves on August 14.
Shahid Ali has been the ERC in-charge since then and due to his efforts and hard work causality at beaches from Sandspit, Hawkesbay and Cape Monze has been only six during the year 2001, while few other bodies were recovered by life guards of the KDA, Navy and the Edhi Foundation.
There is hardly any water-related sporting activity at beaches and only one application was filed in May 2001 requesting for relaxation of section 144 for swimming at Hawkesbay, which was only verbally granted by the last DC West.—PPI
