KARACHI, July 14: The ad hoc coastal development projects, which have been conceived and proposed in total disregard to environmental concerns, pose a serious threat to marine biodiversity and the livelihoods of 500,000 fishermen, besides putting human life at risk.
The Sindh-Balochistan coast is very much vulnerable to cyclones and floods and implementation of such projects, without proper scrutiny by independent experts, is like inviting disaster.
These views were expressed at a seminar, Coping with coastal and marine challenges: pan-Asia learning, organised by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) at a local hotel on Monday.
Expressing concern over the depleting marine resources and lack of government efforts to formulate a strategy in this regard, environmental experts said it was high time that a coastal marine protection plan and law was developed and implemented to conserve what little marine resources had been left. Pakistan desperately needs to learn from international experiences, which have shown that natural disasters increased in recent years and the destruction was aggravated in countries with poor development planning and vulnerability caused by humans.
“The environment is no more a luxury. It’s a matter of life and death and any negligence on our part could seriously jeopardize the well-being of vulnerable communities. It must be made a top priority and relevant issues and information need to be integrated at all levels of policy-making,” said Ali Raza Rizvi, IUCN’s regional group head in Colombo.
He said many of the mistakes, which were made during the tsunami response, were repeated in the Pakistan earthquake recovery plans and more recently in Myanmar and China. This was because people had not understood the link between ecosystems and the role of goods and services for the livelihoods and well-being of humans.
About the projects proposed for beach-front development in Karachi, he said: “We have already seen cyclones hitting coastal areas, while sea intrusion is a reality. Dubai is not exposed to cyclones, but Sindh and Balochistan are. Initiating projects at the waterfront and others by endangering marine biodiversity and destroying natural barriers is like facilitating disaster. Investment should be made into enhancing communities’ resilience for disasters, especially in the coastal areas,” Mr Rizvi observed.
Unsustainable development
Criticising the mindset behind what he called so-called development projects, Shahid Ali Khan, a leading architect, said that the authorities are deriving inspiration from the most unsustainable of all cities – Dubai – and are obsessed with the idea that only massive tower blocks would add to community’s happiness.
“The Diamond Bar City proposes to have 800 towers with 150 apartments each. There is a possible influx of 720,000 persons with nearly 300,000 cars. One wants to ask what will be the effect of these concrete structures, human movement and vehicle emissions on the ecosystem,” he remarked.
Emphasising the fact that Pakistan is a developing country which, by definition, means that the basic infrastructure must be developed first ‘before pretending that we can follow the rich developed nations,’ Mr Khan said, “mega projects such as DHA Beach Front, Creek City and Crescent Bay, without deep understanding and mega management, will be devastating. Livelihoods of almost 500,000 people are at stake if the ad hoc coastal development takes place without recourse to our ecosystem.”
He said the inevitable marine pollution that followed such large scale ‘development’ would affect everyone as the destruction of marine biodiversity would finish the Rs8 billion seafood exports. “Consequently, we will end up importing what we have taken for granted,” he added.
He said the initial environmental examination report made no mention of fishing communities that would be affected by Buddo and Bundal islands’ development. The environmental impact assessment, which has not been conducted so far, should consider the environmental impact not only on the site but also the off-site effects.
Implementation of these projects, he said, would worsen social inequalities while causing endless damage to the ecosystem. “We have a real danger of losing our natural heritage, which has a direct effect on all of us. The area of the Buddo and Bundal islands is among the IUCN’s high priority areas. This is the Indus Flyway. Ten thousand hectares of mangroves exist here, 20,000 fishermen depend on the waters of these islands, which also act as feeding ground for dolphins,” he added.
The coastal communities were deprived of drinking water and had no basic infrastructure for health and education, Mr Khan said, adding that the need for ‘development’ was the provision of basic amenities to these villages.
Highlighting the significance of mangroves in preventing floods and cyclones, coastal ecosystem expert Tahir Qureshi said mangrove trees could absorb 70 to 90 per cent of the energy of a normal wave. “With multiple benefits, mangroves are considered the most productive ecosystem. Due to the reduced flow of fresh water from upstream, land reclamation, illegal cutting, pollution, their area along Pakistan’s coast has been reduced from 604,870 hectares in 1966 to 86,000 hectares in 2003,” he said.
Others speakers included Sindh Secretary for Environment and Alternative Energy Mir Hussain Ali, joint-secretary Abid Ali, and Mangroves for Future, IUCN, Asia region coordinator Dr Donald Macintosh.
Dear visitor, the comments section is undergoing an overhaul and will return soon.