BADIN, Nov 23: A nine-member team of consultants of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), sought suggestions from people concerned and NGOs at a meeting held here at Darbar Hall to finalize a master plan for coastal areas of Badin district. The meeting was attended by Simon Tiller, leader of the ADB technical assistance team, Jancarter, Robil Lindley, Ian Hankook, Jeoff Bastin, ADB’s specialists and Qamar Baloch, Mustafa Rizvi and Hayee Akhtar, consultants of the Bank.
The District Nazim, Ali Anwar Halepoto, the District Coordination Officer, DCO Aftab Ahmad Khathri, and other officials attended the meeting.
The ADB consultants have been engaged for the last few months in interviewing stakeholders such as peasants, fishermen community to study various aspects of the project.
Team leader Simon Tiller said the ADB would provide ample grant.
He said that with the cooperation of major stakeholders, the work would soon be undertaken in the coastal belt as a number of schemes have been identified.
They disclosed that the World Bank had also shown interest in the Sindh coastal zone project supporting the vulnerable communities.
They said the projects would be released to the media by November 29 on the basis of feasibility, policy and institutions, natural resources, coastal resources management etc.
“Our criteria is to reach the community and give benefits to majority of poor and fundamental needs identified are to provide potable water, roads for rural access besides rural housing schemes, arrangements for safety and protection and rescue measures against cyclone and sea intrusion and we also propose funding at union council level”, they said.
“We will launch experimental work from coastal village Shadman Talpur of Badin taluka, they added.
Appreciating the role of Coastal Development Authority, they said it was excellent “but there is only one engineer with the Authority and how would it be possible for it to cope with the work without more trained engineers”.
They said community cooperation and NGOs support was inevitable for completion of this project.
First of all the small growers would financially be supported and they would be imparted skill and technology in agriculture field, consultant on agriculture said.
He said that five main programmes in agriculture sector are under consideration which included improving land management through plantation of salt tolerant tree species in the coastal zone.
The meeting was informed that after 15 years, water shortage would reach 40 per cent, hence facilities would be provided to the farmers, peasants for proper utilization of land management.