KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has announced construction of three floating jetties and passenger sheds on the Baba and Bhit islands and Mubarak village for Rs250.561 million.

“I am also working on a scheme to construct a bridge connecting all three islands — Bhit, Baba and Shams Peer with the city,” he said while addressing a reception on Wednesday hosted for fishermen leader Hussain Aslam Bhatti on Bhit Island.

The programme was attended by a large number of fishermen of the area. The CM was accompanied by relevant officials.

Mr Shah sailed in a boat to Bhit Island where addressing a reception, he said that he had close association with fishermen.

“My village is located near Manchhar Lake where hundreds of fishermen live on boats and the lake banks,” he said and added that therefore he had firsthand knowledge of fishermen. He said he was also exploring ways and means to filter the water of Manchhar Lake which had been polluted with effluent and brackish water draining out from crops.

“I have to rehabilitate the fishermen of Manchhar Lake and I am keen to resolve the issues of fishermen of Karachi because they are the jialas” of Benazir Bhutto, he said.

Three floating jetties, passenger sheds and a bridge connecting islands to be built

The CM announced construction of three floating jetties and passenger sheds on Bhit and Baba islands and at Mubarak village.

“We have allocated Rs250.561 million and the scheme will be executed by the local government department.”

He directed Minister for Local Government Nasir Shah to start work on the scheme and complete it by the end of this year.

Mr Shah said that he had also approved Rs600m schemes of drainage, water supply, brick roads for the twin islands of Baba and Bhit and Shamspir and Sualehabad.

On the demand of fishermen, the chief minister said he would consider installation of RO plant on Bhit.

The fishermen told the chief minister that the lease of their villages had expired, therefore, they requested a fresh lease. At this, the chief minister directed the commissioner to get it done; if it had expired, issue a fresh one through the Board of Revenue.

The fishermen told the chief minister that Benazir Bhutto had visited Bhit Island and had announced establishment of a playground on the island but she could not do so because soon after that her government was removed.

At this, Mr Shah said that the announcement for the playground was made by his “great leader” and her promise would be fulfilled at any cost.

The schemes he announced included construction of brick roads in six union councils, UC-41 to UC-46 of DMC Keamari for Rs99.35m; improvement of water supply and installation of sewerage lines and paver blocks in UC-40 and UC-42 of DMC Keamari for Rs140m; construction of roads, drains work and paver blocks at UC-41 Bhit, Baba, Shamspir, Younasabad, Sualehabad islands for Rs150m.

The chief minister said that he had planned to construct a bridge to connect all islands of DMC Keamari with the main roads so that people could travel on vehicles.

“This bridge is at the planning stage and Inshallah the plan will be materialised,” he added.

The chief minister asked the fishermen if they had been vaccinated — upon which most of them replied in the negative.

He said that as they remained busy in fishing therefore they could not be vaccinated.

The CM directed Commissioner of Karachi Navid Shaikh to arrange a vaccination unit in a boat and keep the boat moving from one island to the other and vaccinate the entire eligible population.

Earlier, in the boat in which the CM sailed to the island.

The chief minister announced Rs600m schemes as had been demanded by local fishermen.

After attending the reception, he visited an under-construction jetty and directed the project director to complete it at the earliest.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2021