KFHA to develop fish harbour

Karachi: Karachi Fish Harbour Authority (KFHA) is preparing the master plan to develop the fish harbour on modern lines. The first draft of the proposed plan is under preparation and will complete in March this year, officials said. Officials of KFHA are working on the plan being evolved in consultation with the National Engineering Services Pakistan (Nespak).

Nespak is responsible for preparing designs, carrying out surveys and investigation of the harbour and conducting sea and soil tests. The designing cost of the master plan is Rs 14 million, according to the high officials.

Although the plan is under preparation, officials disclosed some of its major features to Business Recorder, saying that there will be five shrimp peeling plants, plots of 2,500 meters each for two big value added seafood processing plants and two new big auction halls and two fish meat plants.

Besides, a fresh dredging of some at the depth of four inside the fish harbour channel, the sewerage water treatment plant, spread of RCC roads, flawless drainage system, utility services and big lights at the harbour for night operations. Soon after the approval of the plan by the Sindh government, it will also announce funds for implementing the project. The completion of this plan may take at least 18 months.

The plan will be undertaken next fiscal year, while its implementation cost will be assessed after it is approved, they pointed out. There is congestion and pollution in the atmosphere and at the seabed of the harbour, inapt space for boats berthing, insufficient infrastructure, and many other problems, which the proposed master plan will remove with its implementation.

Basically, the KFHA submitted the plan proposal to the provincial government soon after the EU expressed dissatisfaction over the fish harbour infrastructure, boats' conditions and processing plants, they elaborated. Although, private plants do not come under the KFHA administrative purview, the authority immediately took steps for improving the harbour condition and extended financial help to the boat owners to remove flaws from their boats, the said.

The harbour was rehabilitated in 1991 with the financial assistance from EU and since then there has been huge congestion with the further indications in its rise. Therefore, it has been felt necessary to redevelop the fish harbour on modern lines. The harbour development in line with the master plan will also help the country get rid of the EU ban on its seafood export, officials maintained.

About the harbour's congested sea area flooded with the abandoned boats, they said that all such boats will be weeded out through auction under the government's process to free the harbour water for easy movement of operational boats. The major task will be the maintenance of the harbour once the plan is implemented.

Now, nobody will be allowed to create disturbance inside the harbour on its soil and sea, they said. The Sindh government is already working on many project of the harbour including its rehabilitation and boat modification. It has already allocated a fund of Rs 206 million to modify fishing boats in line with the EU specifications, officials added.