KARACHI: All business activities came to a standstill at the Karachi fish harbour on Friday after K-Electric disconnected power supply to it on account of non-payment of Rs6.9 million dues.

It’s the first time in two decades that electricity to the harbour had been disconnected, according to the engineering department of Karachi Fisheries Harbour Authority (KFHA).

Sources said that KE had served a ‘final disconnection notice’ to KFHA on Feb 28, asking the authority to immediately clear the Rs6.9m dues, or electricity supply to the harbour would be discontinued any time.

“Right now, there is complete darkness at the harbour. All business activities have been at a standstill at the harbour since 2pm when lights went off. We can’t take the fish out from standing vessels while fishermen are worried that they might lose their catch if criminal elements took advantage of darkness,” said Rizwan, heading a union of workers at the harbour.

The auction market, he said, operated round the clock, seven days a week at the harbour and electricity disconnection would severely affect everybody engaged in any type of work at the harbour.

KFHA engineering director Shuneed Ahmed Memon confirmed to Dawn that electricity to the harbour had been disconnected. “It was disconnected in the afternoon around Juma prayers. High officials, including the registrar of the cooperative department and the chief secretary, are aware of the situation, as we had informed them about K-Electric’s warning,” said Mr Memon.

He agreed that the situation might result in huge loss to the fisheries industry and said it’s the first time in two decades that electricity to the harbour had been disconnected.

“This will also affect the quality of fish as storage facilities at the auction hall won’t function in the absence of electricity.

“In addition, we won’t be able to issue passes for fishing from Monday as our entire system is computerised,” he explained.

Sources said the current financial crisis at the KFHA had much to do with the Fishermen’s Cooperative Society (FCS) that owed millions of rupees to the KFHA. Although it owned harbour land, the authority, to run its affairs, depended mainly on rent and other charges which the FCS was supposed to pay to the KFHA under an agreement.

The FCS, which is currently in complete disarray and awaiting new elections, had not paid the KFHA a single rupee since 2010, the sources added.

At present, they said, the FCS owed Rs70m on account of ground rent, Rs30m electricity charges, Rs55m for repair and maintenance, and Rs80m for using fresh water (this amount is claimed by the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board).

KFHA officials said several reminders had been sent to the FCS, but they did not receive any reply. The FCS collected a huge commission on the fish catch but spent nothing on fishermen’s welfare and harbour development, the sources added.

Mr Memon said: “Rs200m is pending with the FCS. The amount includes payment for the improvement work the authority has carried out at the harbour.”

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2017