24 May 2004	Monday	04 Rabi-us-Saani 1425

KARACHI, May 23: The Sindh Coastal Development Authority (SCDA) has chalked out an ambitious perspective plan with an estimated cost of Rs5,859 million for the coastal belt of Thatta and Badin districts and the province's coastal zone.

The plan, according to SCDA sources, will be implemented over a period of 10 years. The beneficiaries would include inhabitants of eight talukas - Mirpur Sakro, Ghorabari, Keti Bandar, Kharo Chhan, Shah Bandar, Jati, Badin and Golarchi. It has been sent to the provincial government for approval.

The sources said that the plan envisaged schemes belonging to various sectors of economy, including forest, agriculture, livestock, fisheries, solar/windmill energy and roads. Besides, it envisaged establishing and connecting 17 major and minor creeks.

The schemes for Forest and Wildlife Department includes rehabilitation and propagation of coastal mangroves in Thatta District (Rs39.696 million), planting of salt-resistant trees in the coastal zone (Rs7 million), oilpalm plantation on 4,000 acres (Rs250 million), establishment of perennial coconut nursery (Rs100 million), introduction of farm mechanization technology (Rs 100 million), establishment of oilpalm farms on 24,000 acres in the coastal zone of Thatta and Badin districts (Rs1,550 million, introduction of cottage industry and value-added crops (Rs30 million) and establishment of an oil extraction unit of 10 tons per hour capacity in Thatta district (Rs150 million).

The schemes concerning the Works and Services department includes feasibility study/designing for construction of Shah Bandar Jetty (Rs5 million), increasing the communication access to coastal belt of Thatta and Badin districts (Rs200 million), construction of Shah Bandar Jetty (Rs100 million), development of a 'Tourist City' at Bhambhor (Rs100 million), construction of a cold storage for preservation of fish catch at Shah Bandar and Keti Bandar (Rs10 million), establishment of recreation and entertainment centres along the coastal belt (Rs200 million), ferry services between Karachi and Ali Bandar via Bhambhor, Keti Bandar and Shah Bandar (Rs300 million), construction of fish harbour at Keti Bandar (Rs250 million), construction of link roads along the coastal belt of Thatta and Badin (Rs400 million), construction of tourist cities in the coastal zones (Rs400 million), introduction of 'sea world' and water sports (Rs500 million). -APP