Karachi islands’ fishermen to be vaccinated through boat unit: CM

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has announced the construction of three floating jetties and passenger sheds at Baba and Bhit islands and Mubarak village for Rs250.561 million, saying that he was working on a scheme to construct a bridge connecting all three islands -- Bhit, Baba and Shams Peer -- with the city.

This he said on Wednesday while addressing a reception hosted by fishermen leader Hussain Aslam Bhatti for him on the Bhit Island. The programme was attended by a large number of fishermen of the area. Shah sailed in a boat to the Bhit Island where he said that he had close association with fishermen.

“My village is located near Manchhar Lake, where hundreds of fishermen are living on boats and on its banks,” he said and added that he had first-hand knowledge about fisheries. He said he was also exploring ways and means to filter the water of Manchhar Lake, which had been polluted with the flow of effluents and brackish water from crops. “I have to rehabilitate the fishermen of Manchhar Lake,” he said and added: “I am keen to resolve the issues of fishermen of Karachi because they are the jiyalas of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.”

The CM announced the construction of three floating jetties and passengers’ sheds at Bhit and Baba islands and in the Mubarak village. “We have allocated Rs250.561 million for the purpose and the scheme will be executed by the local government department,” he said and directed Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah to start work on the scheme and complete it by the end of this year.

Shah said that he had also approved Rs600 million schemes of drainage, water supply, brick roads for twin islands, Baba and Bhit, Shampir and Saulehabad. Taking action on a demand of fishermen, the chief minister vowed to consider the installation of an RO plant on the Bhit Island.

The fishermen told the chief minister that the lease of their village land had expired; therefore, they requested a fresh lease. At this, the chief minister directed the Karachi commissioner to get it done if it had expired or issue a fresh one through the Board of Revenue.

The fishermen told the chief minister that the late Benazir Bhutto had visited the Bhit Island and had announced the establishment of a playground on the island, but she couldn’t do so because soon afterwards her government was removed.

At this, Murad Ali Shah said that the announcement for the playground was made by his great leader and her promise at any cost would be fulfilled. The schemes he announced include constructing brick roads in six union councils, UC-41 to UC 46 of DMC Keamari, for Rs99.35 million, improvement of the water supply and installation of sewerage lines and paver blocks in UC-40 and UC-42 of the DMC Keamari, for Rs140 million, construction of roads, drains work and paver blocks at UC-41 Bhit, Baba, Shamspir, Younisabad, Salehabad islands for Rs150 million, laying Paver RCC sewerage pipelines and CC flooring and cleaning of Nullahs at UC-44, 55 and UC-46 for Rs99.3 million, and the lying of water supply lines at PRC Tower Gold Line, MA Jinnah Road, DMC Keamari for Rs99.1 million.

The CM said he had planned to construct a bridge to connect all the islands of DMC Keamari with the main roads so that people could travel to Karachi on vehicles. “This bridge is at the planning stage and Inshallah the plan would be materialised.”

When the chief minister landed at Bhit Island, he was received amid the slogans of Jeay Bhutto, Jeay Bilawal and Jeay Murad Ali Shah.

The chief minister asked the fishermen if they were vaccinated. Most of them replied in gthe negative and said all the day long they remained busy in fishing; therefore, they could not have got themselves vaccinated.

He directed Commissioner Karachi Naveed Shaikh to arrange a vaccinated unit in a boat and keep the boat moving from one island to the other and vaccinate their entire eligible population.

Earlier, in the boat in which the CM sailed to the island, project director Khalid Mansoor briefed the chief minister about the scheme of the DMC Keamari already approved in the provincial Annual Development Programme. The CM announced Rs600 million schemes, which were demanded by the local fishermen. After attending the reception, Shah visited an under-construction jetty in the area and directed PD Khalid Mansoor to complete it at the earliest.