Monsoon floods: For Sindh’s boat-makers, it’s business season

Floods may spell devastation for many, but for boat-makers business has never been better.

SUKKUR:

While a majority of residents of katcha (riverbed) areas are displaced due to flooding in their areas and moving to safer places, it’s a good time for Muhammad Sukhio. Sukhio, who constructs boats, is thrilled that his business has picked up manifold. A resident of Bunder Road, Sukkur, he has been building boats just like his forefathers.

“I constructed only 10 boats during the last six months. But since the water table started rising in the river, demand for boats has increased at an accelerated pace. Two boats have already been sent to the buyer, two are almost ready and the remaining four will be ready within the next two weeks,” he said.

According to him, local fishermen are renting out their boats to the district administrations of Ghotki and Khairpur and they are charging Rs3,000 to Rs4,000 per day, depending upon the size of the boat. But I received orders for constructing eight boats within the last month.

Earlier, according to Sukhio, irrigation department officials used to purchase 50 to 100 boats every year for taking measurements or helping the divers to fish out bodies or to rescue people. But, now they only rent out boats during the flood season.

Talking about the boating industry, he told The Express Tribune that earlier there were 400 persons in this business in Sukkur and adjoining areas who used to work round the clock to fulfill the demand. “Now, only two of us are left in this business and we don’t have much work to do usually,” he said.

The bandit factor

Muhammad Ismail Mallah, the other boat-maker of the area, is busy these days transporting his boats to the katcha area of Pir Jo Goth and Piryalo. The district administration of Khairpur has hired these boats on a daily rent of Rs3,000. “I’m going with the boats. I’ve sent two boats to Ghotki on a daily rent basis, which will be used to evacuate the residents of katcha areas,” said a busy Mallah. Normally, he said, they don’t give their boats on rent to the people of katcha, because bandits have their eyes on these vessels for crossing the river, and anything to do with the bandits means the police bothering them.

Earlier, he said, the fishermen used to grow vegetables in the katcha, which later were transported to the city on boats for sale. “Now, we avoid going to the katcha, because the bandits snatch the boat for crossing the river,” he said. The bandit factor, he said, has harmed this business, because residents of katcha avoid keeping boats. “Now boats are used to bring fuel wood from the nearby katcha or for joy ride of the people, who either visit Sadh Bello or just want to take a river sail,” he said.

The art of boat-making

Boats are constructed from Diyal or Shesham wood, which is very costly which may be a factor. “Earlier this wood was available for Rs. 1500 per square foot and now its price has been doubled. An average boat costs Rs60,000 and the bigger ones cost Rs. 150,000 or even more,” he said.

Once the boat is constructed, it is thoroughly soaked in water which minimises the gap between planks. Fish fat or vegetable ghee is then applied to it. Application of fat increases its life span.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 18^th, 2013.