The Sindh government announced on Wednesday development works for Mubarak Village and the islands near Keamari. During a visit to Bhit Island, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that the provincial government has allocated Rs250.57 million to construct three floating jetties and passenger sheds. The scheme, which will be executed by the local government department, is scheduled for completion by year end. "I am working on a scheme to construct a bridge connecting all three islands - Bhit, Baba and Shams Pir - with the city," said Shah. Besides, he added, drainage, water supply and road construction schemes for the islands, including Salehaabad, have been approved at the cost of Rs600m.
Addressing a reception hosted by the fisherfolk, the CM said that he was exploring ways and means to filter the polluted and brackish water of Manchar Lake. He added that he would consider installing a reverse osmosis (RO) plant at Bhit Island.
Shah, who was flanked by Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah, Livestock and Fisheries Minister Abdul Bari Pitafi, Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab, special assistants to CM on human settlement, Liaquat Ali Askani, and on matters relating to Keamari district, Muhammad Asif Khan and Pakistan Peoples Party MNA Qadir Mandokhel, said the proposal for a bridge connecting the islands with the city was at the planning stage and will soon materialise.
The Sindh government had notified the formation of Keamari district as the seventh district of the city after bifurcation of the West district in September 2020. Last month, Wahab, who is also the Sindh government spokesperson, had said that the provincial government planned to promote eco-tourism in coastal areas of the metropolis and development projects are in the works.
Elaborating on the schemes, Shah said that brick roads would be constricted in six union councils - UCs 41 to 46 - of Keamari district at the cost of Rs99.35m. Other projects entailed sewerage lines and paver blocks in UCs 40 and 42 at the cost of Rs140m, roads, drainage work and paver blocks in UC41 at the cost of Rs150m and sewerage and drainage work at in UCs 44, 55 and 46 at the cost of Rs99.3m. Besides, the CM said water supply lines will be laid out near the PRC Tower and MA Jinnah Road in Keamari district at the cost of Rs99.1 million.
According to the statement issued by the Chief Minister House, the fisherfolk informed the CM that the lease of their villages had expired. Shah directed the Karachi Commissioner Naveed Shaikh to renew the lease or issue a fresh one through the Sindh revenue board.
Moreover, the CM directed Shaikh to arrange coronavirus vaccination facilities in a boat, which could move from island to island to inoculate fishing communities against the deadly virus.
The statement mentioned that Shah was reminded of former prime minister Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto's promise to build a playground on the island and Shah vowed it would be built.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 26th, 2021.
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