Sindh Assembly takes up the issue of granite extractions from Karoonjhar Mountains

Provincial govt to make a committee to review the matter, protect the site

KARACHI: After an outcry on social media, the issue of granite being extracted from Karoonjhar Mountains, Nangarparkar dominated Sindh Assembly proceedings on Wednesday. The Sindh government announced the decision to make a committee to review the matter and protect the site with proper demarcation in order to preserve the rich heritage, wildlife and culture of the site.

"Some people and contractors defy the Sindh government's order and ruin the hill by extracting precious granite from there," said Pakistan Peoples Party's (PPP) Qasim Siraj Soomro who was elected MPA from the area.

Soomro had earlier come under fire from certain quarters for being involved in this racket. He denied his involvement and said that some companies which had been awarded contracts and were given leases again in 2001-2002 were spoiling the beauty of Karoonjhar Mountains.

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"When the PPP government came into power in 2008, they issued notices to them, but these contractors have acquired stay orders from the court," he said, adding that the area had a number of heritage sites, a rich culture, and Jain Temples as well. "Many freedom fighters belong to the area and the Rann of Kutch, a salt marsh in Thar desert has also been declared a Ramsar Site," he said briefing on the history of Nangarparkar. "The provincial government in 2017 also attempted to declare this area as a UNESCO world heritage site," he said, prompting the mines and mineral department to give its stance on the issue. He asked the department to inform the house of the department's future line of action to avoid further controversy on the issue.

Mines and Minerals Minister Mir Shabbir Ali Bijarani said that they had held a meeting with the ministers of the culture, forest and wildlife departments and had formed a committee which is chaired by the mineral and mines secretary. "We have given one month's time to the committee to visit the area and submit the report. Later, we will take up this issue before the cabinet for a final decision," he said adding that Nangarparkar is not only the heritage site but the area is also rich in wildlife and forests. "We will suggest to the cabinet to start demarcation to save the hill, forest, heritage and wildlife," he remarked.

Congo Virus

Meanwhile, different lawmakers of PTI and the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) moved their call-attention notices on different issues confronted by the people of Sindh.  Nand Kumar Goklani of GDA in his call attention notice raised the issue of Sunil Kumar, a resident of the Chachro area of Tharparkar who was suffering from the Congo virus and passed away in the first week of November.  "The outbreak of this disease was reported in the 1980s in Pakistan. Around 14 people lost their lives in August this year because of this deadly virus. I want to know about government efforts to deal with it," he said, requesting the health minister to give monetary compensation to the family of Sunil who was the only breadwinner in his house.

The importance of preserving the Karoonjhar Mountains

Health concerns

Sanjay Gangwani of PTI drew the house's attention towards dysfunctional ventilators at Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital and said that 30 ventilators of total 104 have been out of order for many years now.  He presented the facts about each ward with non-functional ventilators.  Health Minister Dr Azra Pechuho accepted the number of non-functional ventilators and said that her department would soon award the tender to install new ventilators in the hospital.

The assembly also passed "Sindh Reproductive Healthcare Rights Bill 2019" to facilitate reproductive healthcare and promote reproductive health rights in the province.  Briefing on the bill, the health minister said, "The law gives legal status to this right because in Pakistan on average 80 women die every day because of pregnancy-related complication". She said that this is compounded by the fact that millions of other women don't die, but suffer from complications such as fistula, sexually transmitted disease and infertility. Dr Pechuho said that the law will promote reproductive healthcare rights of women and men and shall redress complications related to pregnancy and childbirth, which are among the leading causes and consequences of mortality and morbidity for women of reproductive age and reduce maternal death. Later, the deputy speaker adjourned the session till today (Thursday). 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 14^th, 2019.