KARACHI: Islands deal may bring problems for developer
By Our Reporter
KARACHI, Jan 17: The Pakistan Mahigir Tehrik has communicated its opposition to the Dubai-based company, which had signed a deal with the Government of Pakistan for development of a new city on twin islands.
We feel that the sale of these islands is tantamount to deprive the poor fishermen of Sindh from their fishing grounds and mangrove nurseries thus eroding their remaining meagre livelihood resources, Pakistan Mahigir Tehrik convenor Zubaida Birwani stated in a letter addressed to Ms Emmar of Dubai.
She said about 4,000 to 5,000 fishing boats used Korangi and Phitti creeks and the passages to open sea were located on both sides of the islands, which would become inaccessible in the wake of so-called development on islands.
Considering that Emmar is among the leading construction giants, she requested the company to avoid indulging in a project that would put its corporate image at stake.
Emmar may earn profit of millions of dollars from this project but will pay huge cost of its business image and people all over the world would count your organization among profit-thirsty business entities, wrote Ms Birwani in her e-mailed letter.
She regretted that that Emmar had signed an agreement with the Government of Pakistan to construct Diamond Bar Island City on two Islands Dingi and Bundaar (Bundal and Buddo), near Karachi coast. This deal had caused resentment among civil society organizations, mainstream political parties and marginalized fishermen of the country, she said.
Although Emmar was a world known construction firm therefore undertaking such controversial project in Pakistan had raised serious concerns about the professional integrity of Emmar, she said and referred to some critical facts about the project to emphasize on the sensitivity of matter.
The islands are home to rich flora and fauna of Indus Delta. One of the few remaining tracts of healthy mangroves, breeding grounds of various migratory birds and endangered marine Green Turtles exist on these islands. This rich biodiversity will lose its existence in the wake of proposed development.
The islands are part of resource-rich eco-system of Indus Delta, which has been included in 200 Eco-regions by the WWF and the islands are also identified as part of ‘High Priority Areas’ of conservation interest by the IUCN (the World Conservation Union).
She regretted that the government was unwilling to undertake any consultation with the likely affectees of the project and has not even conducted the Environmental Impact Assessment, which is mandatory under the Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997. This showed complete apathy towards livelihood resources and biodiversity reserves of the country.
The civil society has expressed its serious concern on this ill-conceived project and considers this as violation of all fundamentals of sustainable development. The project is threatening livelihood of about half a million fishermen along Sindh coast and likely to bring irreversible damage to rich eco-system of the two islands.
In spite of severe opposition by political, social and environmental organizations, the government was bent upon implementing the project and physical work had also been started by cutting mangroves and levelling of sand dunes, she claimed.
