KARACHI, June 16: The Sindh government has decided to prepare a master plan for the integrated development of coastal areas of Sindh, including that of Karachi, it is learnt. According to sources, directives in this respect had been issued to all stakeholders and government agencies dealing with coastal areas.

They said the decision was taken in a meeting on uplift of coastal areas held here last month. The meeting, chaired by the Sindh governor, discussed the issues pertaining to development and management of Sindh coastal areas.

The governor emphasized the need to evolve a mechanism to involve all stakeholders working for the development of coastal areas so that integrated, coordinated and well synchronized efforts could be made to initiate a master plan or an integrated coastal zone management programme in various segments of the economy for the development of coastal areas.

The meeting also discussed the issue of Asian Development Bank’s technical assistance covering all sectors of the coastal economy. The ADB programme will focus on coastline of Sindh, including Karachi, Thatta and Badin districts.

It was decided that an authenticated document would be prepared that would pinpoint and help in initiating any development programme or scheme in any field of the economy. The total cost of study is Rs48.689 million, of which government’s share is Rs9.808 million, while the ADB will spend Rs38.881 million.

The ADB will provide consultation in 17 sectors that include policy, institutions, gender and development, coastal environment, rural infrastructure, enterprise development, farming system, fisheries, aquaculture, coastal institutions and policy, geographic improvement, financial management, alternative energy, hydrogeology and oilseed crops.

The ADB team will physically work in the designated areas of three districts to collect primary data in a scientific manner.

The Coastal Development Authority (CDA) is the executing agency for the ADB technical assistance and thus, it will act as a focal point for all development activities in the coastal areas of Sindh.

Since the jurisdiction of the CDA is restricted in two districts — Thatta and Badin — it was decided that suitable amendments in the CDA Act of 1994, including that of 64-km coastline of the Karachi district, will be made.

The Sindh governor suggested that a body to be headed by a senior official be constituted for overall supervision of the survey study.

The CDA director general informed the meeting that a steering committee had already been proposed, and in this connection a draft had been submitted to the Planning and Development Department for issuing notification.

The committee comprises secretaries of various nation building departments, DCOs of Thatta, Badin and Karachi, besides a member each from the IUCN, the WWF and fishermen. The CDA director general will be its secretary.

The committee will monitor and provide overall guidance to the ADB team during its implementation period, which will continue till January 2006.

The governor is also reported to have asked the Sindh chief secretary for constituting a body of all stakeholders like KPT, DHA, CDGK, PQA, Pakistan Navy, Sindh BoR and CDA for the integrated development of coastal areas.

The governor was of the view that the proposed body should be given specific targets and assignments to bring concrete proposals for beautification and improvement in the coastal areas and create an economical and environment friendly coastal area of Sindh.