The federal government has signed a $43 billion project deal with the Dubai-based developers, Diamond Bar Island City, regarding Bundal and Buddo islands. The project will consist of high-rise buildings, five-star hotels, residences, diplomatic enclaves and recreational spots. The two islands will be connected with Karachi through a 1.5km-long bridge.

These islands have high ecological significance. The growth of mangroves here is quite noticeable. What mangroves do is well-known. They protect islands from sea storms, filter out pollutants, provide shelter to fish and other aquatic life and take care of salinity. During the implementation of the project, mangroves will be removed as a result of real-estate development because the excavated material will be dumped on the banks, and sea bed will be dredged for using dredging material. In addition to that, construction of water sports spots will alter the aquatic ecology and hydrology of the region.

Development projects in the coastal zone have the potential to cause widespread impacts on things such as mangroves, fishery resources, coral reefs and beaches. Major changes in the natural ecosystem will also occur. In case of Bundal and Buddo islands, the key impacts would include pollution and destruction of fish life, an economic aspect on which the lives of fishermen of the islands depend.

Since it is very difficult and cost-prohibitive to reverse the development impacts and restore the damaged ecosystems, irrational planning without conducting a full-fledged environmental impact assessment and ecological risk assessment can result in a net loss of natural resources and future development options. This applies to conventional cases where the coastal area is frequented by tourists and no income-generating activities are at stake. The case of Bundal and Buddo islands is different. Fishermen have been living in those islands for over a century. Their main source of income is fishery. Two major impacts can be caused. One, fishermen’s families may be forced out of the islands. Second, if their families are allowed to stay there, there will be no fish to catch due to the dredging operation and the dumping of excavated material on the banks.

If the loss of habitat is witnessed, it will cause a decline in species diversity. The decline in biodiversity is an economic loss as currently fishermen’s livelihood depends on the thriving aquatic life. Development disrupts the ecosystem, which in turn affect the productivity of the natural aquatic system. The dwarfed Indus dolphin growth is an example of the reduced productivity of the natural aquatic system. Shoreline development disrupts the ability of mangroves and coral reefs to absorb storm energy, which can result in massive erosion and threatens life and property.

Sediments, wastes and nutrients impact human health and environment. Wastewater generation, if not treated appropriately, causes water pollution. If that happens, it will create unhygienic conditions around the islands. The functions of Port Qasim are likely to be affected due to pollution in channels as well. If housing settlements, hotels and resorts do not have the facilities of wastewater treatment or the septic tank system, there will be nutrients and pathogens which will flow down into the sea with wastewater effluents. This will severely degrade coral reefs, benthic life and will endanger human health.

Construction activities at Bundal and Buddo islands will generate mine and metal tailings and wastes. Transporting these tailings and wastes to coastal waters will wipe out the fish life and will badly affect the intake water quality of water desalination plants.

Water desalination plants’ operation at the island would be a source of massive water pollution. Desalination plants generate brine as their by-product waste. The brine cannot be transported to Karachi for disposal because of high transportation and because there is no place to dump it. Disposal of brine in coastal waters would prove hazardous both to water quality and human health.

Human settlements along the coastline cause erosion of the shoreline. They also affect hydrologic cycle, including groundwater recharge and surface runoff.

Developments at the two islands by foreign developers will attract new migrants to the region because of the perception that rich people living on the islands will increase economic and subsistence opportunities. This will give rise to squatter settlements (a well-established development scenario in Karachi) on the islands.

Domestic solid waste will be a major problem which will pose a threat to the coastal water quality. Foul gas emissions will cause problems for the people living in high-rise buildings.

The government has to consider a host of environmental and ecological problems before allowing the foreign developers to undertake activities on the two islands. There are two more important impacts. One is the surface runoff. Urban development means more paved areas. Increase in paved areas will allow more rain runoff. Second, since the islands had no construction work going on for the last many centuries, putting on massive loads in the shape of skyscrapers may lead to a shifting of tectonic plates.