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KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly was told on Wednesday that no cyclone warning system was installed at the Karachi Fish Harbour to inform fishermen at sea about an impending storm.
However, such information was received through the Maritime Security Agency (MSA) and the meteorological department and subsequently conveyed to the fishermen through the Fishermen Cooperative Society and the Sindh Trawler Owners and Fishermen Association.
This was stated by Minister for Fisheries Zahid Ali Burghari while replying to various supplementary questions asked by members of the provincial assembly during the question hour.
Responding to a question of Nusrat Seher Abbasi, the minister said the government had wanted to install such a system in the past but its huge cost was discouraging.
The minister went on to say that the provincial government had always maintained a communication link with the MSA and the Met Office to get sea-to-shore information regarding a cyclone which was subsequently conveyed to fishermen.
Mr Bhurgari said the government was fully aware of the current cyclone situation and it was being closely monitored, assuring the house that all necessary measures would be taken for the safe return of fishermen from their fishing trips.
The minister also told the house that the cyclone situation would be clear probably by Friday, adding that he had been in contact with the departments concerned in that regard. Consequently, he said, fishermen would be advised not to go to sea as it would be too rough to fish.
Replying to a question asked by MPA Arif Mustafa Jatoi regarding the Karachi Fish Harbour Rehabilitation and Renovation plan, the minister said the scheme was approved at a cost of Rs555.951 million. However, he said the amount spent on the project up to March 15, 2011 was Rs313.111 million.
He said the scheme would be completed in 2012, adding that the harbour was being upgraded and renovated according to the standards prescribed by the European Union.
The minister said 250 boats had also been modified and upgraded as required by the EU.
With regard to a question about the Korangi Fish Harbour, the minister said the Sindh government had approached the federal government for handing over the project to the Sindh government after the devolution plan. But he identified many barriers in this regard, saying that basically the Korangi Fish Harbour was built for anchorage of deep-sea trawlers which was a federal subject.
Moreover, there were financial issues involving billions of rupees pertaining to the assets of the project, he said.
The minister agreed with Kulsoom Chandio that a scheme worth Rs35.736 million had been approved in 2009 for the introduction and demonstration of mud crab culture in coastal mangroves of the province with a cost of Rs35.736 million for three years (2009-10 to 2011-12).
The total amount of Rs4.645 million had been spent up to November 30, 2010.
The minister said under the project 30 mud crab ponds were to be established in the coastal areas of Thatta, Badin and Karachi. He, however, admitted that only one crab pond had been established in Korangi while work on nine ponds was under way.
Mr Bhurgari explained that the delay was caused by a late release of funds because of the floods.
Replying to a supplementary question regarding the destruction of mangroves by land-grabbers, he said the matter pertained to the forest department. After receiving reports of cutting of mangroves, he said, his department had raised the issue with the forest department.
The minister also informed the house that the government had taken effective measures to enforce the ban on use of illegal nets.
