Judicial commission takes notice of unauthorised jetties at harbour

The judicial commission investigating the provision of drinking water, sanitation and healthy environment to the people of Sindh on Tuesday took notice of the large number of private and unregulated jetties at Korangi fish harbour causing environmental hazards at the dock.

In a visit to the Karachi and Korangi fish harbours accompanied by the relevant officials, the commission headed by Justice (retd) Amir Hani Muslim observed that both water sites were full of filth and garbage, while there was no mechanism for cleaning the solid waste and or liquid waste within and outside the industries.

The commission was informed that Karachi fish harbour has been without a regular managing director (MD) for the past several months and the government has just appointed an MD who will take charge soon.

Regarding the Korangi fish harbour, the commission observed that private jetties were not owned by the provincial or the federal government, both of whom had claimed that illegal unloading of fish catch is being made at these jetties along with them causing increased pollution which is an environmental hazard in the harbour.

The commission was also informed that boats which go for fishing do not have the required standards provided for navigation and these standards are maintained for fishing authorities. The judicial body observed that all the boats which go for fishing are without a vessel monitoring system which is a prerequisite and provides safety in case of distress. However, no one follows the standard and prima facie the authority which issues permits and licenses to these boats is primarily responsible for such negligence.

The chairman of the Fishermen Cooperative Society informed the commission that they lack funds and therefore they do not pay the authorities their 50 per cent due share. The fish harbour authority official submitted that they do not get salaries and the pension of their employees and therefore because of scarcity of these funds, they cannot undertake the task of cleaning the harbour.

The commission also observed that fish processing plants around the fish harbour dispose of their solid and liquid waste in the water and there was no disposal mechanism within and outside the harbour.

The commission members said that the harbour needs to be cleaned and the solid waste as well as liquid waste should be disposed of or discharged in a manner which can keep the standard of EPT.

Syed Asif Haider Shah, a member of the commission’s task force was given the responsibility to ensure that steps are taken to clean up the active harbour as well as the waste lining their shores by taking the help of all stakeholders whether from the provincial or federal government.

The commission observed that unauthorised jetties are causing losses to the harbour authorities and the fishermen cooperative society, while standards required for the EPT are also not being observed. It directed the member task force to interact with stakeholders and with their consent submit a report to the commission for appropriate orders.