Gwadar’s fishermen decry delay in projects

QUETTA: The Gwadar Fisheries Alliance has announced that it would launch a ‘fill the jails movement’ -- voluntarily have themselves arrested -- if the construction of the breakwater on the eastern coast was not started by January 10.

They claimed that the delay in construction of the breakwater and a gateway to the Gwadar expressway was depriving fishermen of their livelihood.

"The Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) and the Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) are responsible for the delay because of their negligence and laziness,” said a representative of the alliance.

The alliance organised a protest rally from the fishing town of Dhoriya. The participants marched through Port Rose and Marine Drive and staged a sit-in outside the GDA office.

The breakwater will protect the villages located along the eastern belt of Gwadar from the rising sea level that is eroding away the coastline. Besides, it will also shield them from cyclones.

The participants of the rally said the planning authorities could reduce the damage of natural disasters by sustainable or alternative planning and the rising tides were destroying fishing boats.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 5^th, 2020.