Coastal areas witness mangrove deforestation

Until 1980, dense mangrove forests of eight species existed along the coastline of Karachi. However, during the past four decades, the federal and provincial institutions have allowed the occupation of two to three kilometres of the coastal land for the construction of expensive residential and commercial schemes. This is despite the fact that mangroves are protected forests under national and international laws and cannot be cut down.

According to details obtained by the Express Tribune, Karachi's 75-kilometre-long coastline runs parallel to multiple fishermen settlements and residential areas including Ibrahim Hydari, Rehri, Chashma Goth, Lath Basti, Machhar Colony, Hijrat Colony, Mai Kolachi, Korangi Creek, Hawkes Bay, Sandspit, Mubarak Village, Kaka Pir, Shams Pir, Keamari, Manora, Baba Bhit Island, Sultanabad, Clifton and Defence.

Dr Syed Nawaz Al-Huda, a regional planner, revealed that tamarisk forests, which were being cut down from the areas near Korangi Creek Industrial Park and Macchar Colony, had a role to play in reducing the city's air pollution and controlling its temperature.

"Therefore, it is regrettable to say that people are bent on destroying the environmentally-friendly trees of Karachi. Similarly, forests are also being eliminated near Hijrat Colony and those towards Turtle Beach for a residential project. The entire ecological system is being affected due to the cutting of mangroves therefore, the public should not invest in such projects that threaten Karachi's environment," implored Dr Al-Huda.

According to a report published by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the destruction of mangrove forests is visible across the city's coastal belt through satellite images, which show that 200 hectares of mangroves have been lost between 2010 to 2022 due to illegal activities of mafias and land acquisition for residential, commercial and industrial purposes. The trees, which were 30 feet in height and two to six inches in trunk diameter, were cut in a systematic and secretive manner. Instead of serial cutting, they were taken down intermittently. Furthermore, local communities were also cutting these trees to burn wood for their homes, all thanks to the lack of monitoring and accountability in part of the law enforcement agencies. Such activities have exposed the city's coastal areas to the deadly repercussions of natural disasters.

"In 1945, a tsunami hit the Makran coastal areas, instigating loss of life and property. However, the scale of the damage was less since dense mangrove forests lined the coastal areas, breaking the force of the tsunami. Now, the situation has changed. Large-scale residential settlements have been established along the coast of the city, leading to the deforestation of mangroves. As a result, areas like Ibrahim Hydari, Rehri Goth, Hijrat Colony, Sultanabad, Machhar Colony, Naval Colony, Defense Housing Authority and other residential areas located across the coastal belt are at risk of possible cyclones and tsunamis," warned Dr Al-Huda.

Saeed Baloch, Secretary General of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum, confirmed that the land and timber mafias were interconnected. "The dense mangrove forests have been hollowed out by the timber mafia. It is a tragedy that despite the existence of laws for the conservation of mangroves, no action has been taken by the authorities, which is cause for concern. Mangroves support the breeding of fish, prawns and crabs while also hosting migratory birds from Siberia," said Baloch.

On the other hand, the spokesperson of the Port Qasim Authority assured that the land under their control was safe from mangrove deforestation while the spokesperson of the Karachi Port Trust refused to issue a statement. However, the official shared the contact details of an officer from another organization. Upon being contacted, the concerned officer claimed he had nothing to do with these matters and the KPT spokesperson had made a false statement.