Urban Farming for Sustainable Development

The habitants living in Karachi presently are confronted with multifaceted predicaments relating to civic, social, economic and environmental concerns. Just take on the environmental civics front, where the diminishing  green cover and growing food security are bigger challenges in days to come. As illegal but unstoppable chopping of trees, encroachments on green belts are continued while poor quality and quantity of public and community parks are serious threat to environs of the city.

On the other hand rapid yet unchecked urbanisation widening the gulf between supply and demand of food in the city, where maleficent profiteers are filling the vacuum by supplying unhygienic and poor quality of edible stuff. However these challenges of environmental civics can largely be overcome at individual level and with minimum efforts.

Urban farming is not modern but an ongoing solution of these problems. Integrated green roofs, patio gardens and flowering balconies along with indoor plantation help to make the living environs cool and cleaned. Besides an entire family can also be benefitted with enough food specially vegetables and herbs for all season, which would surely be organic and healthy.  

The main benefit of the urban farming is surely that it can add greenery and cooling to the cities, reducing harmful runoff, increase shedding and countering the unpleasant heat island effect. But the health benefits of home grown edibles, in which one can avoid inorganic, bi-carbonated  and genetically-modified food stuff in daily diets, has much greater significance.   

Even if you are living with little space, you can still benefit from growing vegetables and fruit. A window balcony, patio, deck or roof receiving six or more hours of sun is all you need, in addition to a few containers, planters and pots.

Containers-grown vegetables will produce an adequate supply of agricultural production for a single home requirement. With containers you can grow anything from  lettuce and tomatoes to beans and peppers. Typically small containers are used for more shallow-rooted crops like carrots, lettuce and radishes. Vegetables like tomatoes, potatoes and beans will benefit from using containers that are big enough to accommodate their larger root system. To make use of all available space consider growing vegetables plants in hanging baskets too.

These city gardens can fit any lifestyle. Rooftop gardens make use of space that might otherwise remain unused. Fresh home grown vegetables taste delicious, are good for health and safe from chemicals. You do not need to acquire a regular garden or grow them, you can grow these on a balcony or terrace.

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Editorial, Infocus

Urban Forestry for Sustainable Environs

Acknowledging the federal government’s endeavours to increase forestation via the Rs. 3.6 billion Green Pakistan Program, the Sindh government plans to provide incentives to promote forestation. Forests have significant benefits as they not only improve physical and mental health of human beings but also provide medicinal plants, regulating water, controlling soil erosion, natural climate resilient safety nets and controlling infectious disease.

In a bid to restore Sindh’s ecology in line with international agreements, the Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in a meeting last week with the Federal Environment Minister Zahid Hamid, vows to expand and protect forests, natural habitats and watersheds besides making them sustainable. The kinds of forestry to be expanded include farm,  commercial, industrial and specifically urban forestry. 

With the massacre of greenery to accommodate big concrete structures, the government turned a blind eye towards the decreasing number of trees in the city. Cities across the world have used urban forestry as a means to reduce air pollution, as trees absorb carbon dioxide and other pollutants and as a result make air cleaner to breathe. It is high time that Karachi does the same.

As a matter of fact in Karachi, which is a concrete jungle and where even parks are encroached and replaced with tall plazas on the name of development, urban forestry can be a solution to the city’s air problem.  Every country or city nearly must have 20% to 25% trees for sustainable development therefore there’s a direct link between the number of trees and the quality of air as trees are natural cleaners of pollutants.

In Karachi, where many people work outdoors, exposure to heat can have negative health effects. Contact with heat causes electrolyte misbalance – fluctuation of fluids in our body due to deficiency or overabundance of essential minerals – and trees reduce chances for this as well as of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

To maximise the impact of green cover in cleaning the air, trees should be planted near main traffic corridors, railway tracks and highways. Indigenous species can be planted to reduce the cost as they require less care. Karachi defintely have  shortage of water and that’s why the native trees are ideal because they need water only during the starting phase. Once fully grown, they survive on their own.

On the other hand selection of right tree is also important. However, all the civic bodies of the city have been planting  the specie of Conocarpus, which is a not a good kind of choice. A study of University of Karachi  revealed the species’ pollens were found in the city air in high quantity and was one of the causes for asthma.  There are  diverse species such as neem, peepal and gulmohar among others, which are indigenous and have been thriving in Karachi for many years. They are also low-maintenance and are good for the environment.

Similarly the mangrove forests have their own significance along side the coastal belt of Karachi. The Green Pakistan Program specially emphasizes on mangroves not only in Karachi but also along side Indus delta, creeks and other coastal areas of the province of Sindh. 

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Editorial, Infocus

Adding insult to injury in Karachites' miseries; Metrobus' Red Line after Renovation of University Road

People of Karachi are really paying heavy price for ongoing development works in the city. At present developmental works on 20 different locations across the metropolis are responsible for persistent traffic and environment hurdles. Newly-established and multifaceted institutions are executing various construction works, improvement and renovation schemes and other development projects at a time which is creating unbearable problems and irreparable damages to the public health and environment.

However, amongst these developments works none has proved as severely crude and lethal as the renovation of the University Road. Lack of diversions, absence of underground utilities and haphazard construction has led to irrevocable losses of human lives. 

This week on Friday five people including three women and a child were injured when a  water tanker lost speed control on under-construction road and ran over the people. It is the 6th tragic incident on University road within a month. As a day before four people including three young women lost their lives while 11 other injured when a speedy bus overturned on the same venue. Students of Federal Urdu University staged a protest blocked the road calling for the swift, safe and speedy completion of the reconstruction work on the University road through which they could commute safely. But they do not know when this work will get completed another construction project the Red Line Metro under the Karachi Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system will be started within couple of months. For people who are already suffering from the miseries and difficulties from ongoing works on University Road, the construction of the Metrobus Red Line will now add only insult to injury in ongoing public turmoil, making it endless and more daunting. It is difficult to say when these under construction projects will see the daylight of their completion.

It is really injustice to the people of Pakistan and burning the candle of public funds from both ends, because if the Red Line has to be built on University Road why not construction on elevated expressway started alongside with the ongoing renovation and improvement work on same road. Should the commuters, nearby residents and all related people of Karachi suffer twice with development work on a single location ? But as both these development projects are belonged to two different -- provincial and federal -- authorities, it is justified for them. Because the aim of the ruling authorities is to fill their coffers on the name of developments rather facilitating comforts and amenities to public.

The ongoing renovation work on University road is being constructed under Rs. 10 billion "Karachi Package" by Local Government Project of Sindh government. The total cost of work of renovation of University road is reportedly more than Rs.1766 million and is distributed in two Phases, 1st from Hasan Square to NIPA worth 884.23 million rupees and 2nd from NED University to Safoora Chowrangi cost 832 million rupees.

On the other hand the Red Line Metro Bus project is also proposed to be built on University Road. The Line will extend from Model Colony to Regal Chowk via Safoora Chowrangi and University Road at a total length of 27 km. The Red Line is a part of Karachi Metro Rapid Bys Transit (RBT) network which is divided into five busways or Lines. i.e. Green Line, Orange Line, Yellow Line, Blue Line and Red Lines. Among these Lines, the work on the  Rs. 15 billion Green Line is already under construction and it is a federal project under the Karachi Infrastructure Development Company Limited (KIDL), a company of Minister of Communication, Government of Pakistan   

Although the federal government states that Red Line will be a Sindh Government initiative but it is more likely that the KIDCL will execute the project when the ongoing renovation work will see the daylight of completion. Because if the Red Line were Sindh government initiative the work on motorway comprising its elevated and ground lanes should have been started alongside the ongoing renovation work on University road. Anyway, whoever take the charge of this development the miseries and difficulties of Karachities seem an unending task.

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Editorial, Infocus 

The Ceremonious National Green Day

Modern terms like Climate Change, Global Warming and Greenhouse Effects are not myth, they are alarming realities of the day. That's why the Earth Day is annually celebrated worldwide on April 22 to demonstrate support for environment protection. On similar pattern the World Environment Day is also observed every year on June 5 to raise awareness to take positive environmental action to protect nature and the planet earth. Now, what has led our beloved Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif to introduce and add another one on February 9 to celebrate this year the Green Day across the country is surprising, yet vapid and to a certain extent surplus exercise.

However, when one goes through the contextual endeavor it is not difficult to understand the reason behind this newly-introduced national day. It marks the kick off of spending spree of worth Rs. 3652.142 million project the "Green Pakistan Programme -- Revival of Forestry Resources in Pakistan", which aims at plantation of some 100 million indigenous and fast growing local tree species over the next five years throughout the country.

Now with this background today on February 9, 2017, the PM is going to inaugurate the National Green Day with 20 Special Children from Ministry of Climate Change. The Day is being celebrated across the country under the PM' Green Pakistan Program. More than 100 events are being arranged throughout country to begin to burn with both ends the hefty Rs. 3652.142 billion rupees project without any coherent strategy. While Chief Ministers of Khyber Pakhtunhwa, Gilgit Baltistan, Punjab, Balochistan, Sindh and Prime Minister of the Azad Kashmir will also inaugurate the program on the same day in their respective provinces. The PM Media Cell Wing states in this regard "First time in the history  all provinces will launch plantation drive on the same day through local trees only. Record local trees will be planted in one day by government, NGOs, and students.

However, new plantation derive is a good effort but it is also necessary that government must also have a day spare to take action against those who are responsible for deforestation and involved in mass cutting of trees.  The deforestation rate in Pakistan is already very high in the world i.e. more than 2% per anum. And, keeping aside the devastation by timber mafia, the green cover in the country is rapidly shrinking also under national umbrella on the name of housing schemes, roadways expansions and other infrastructural construction.

What was more scandalous is mass cutting of some 18,000 trees in Karachi to pave way the Green Line Bus Project and another 12,000 during widening of the University Road.  Besides to establish cattle market for keeping  sacrificial animals for sale on Eidul Azha in 2016 nearly 540 fully grown Neem trees on Superhighway were chopped down.  All that  deforestation was done by public sector on the name of development.

The government do not need to increase or introduce new days as a mark to observe environment protection, it is better to invest energy and finances on already ongoing efforts and resolves to conserve the environs, pledged on yearly basis. 

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Editorial, Infocus

Water Crisis in Karachi ------- (Part II) ---- ..... By Najeeb Wali

When the state run water supply failed, the water mafia stepped in to distribute water in those areas where supply lines are not laid. But in actual just to overcome the shortfall, their tankers supply water from hydrants also in those areas where KWSB supply infrastructure are already available and established. Therefore it shouldn't be surprising why and how water is available in hydrants but scarce in KWSB and various Cantonment Boards main supply lines. Interestingly, even the legal hydrants are made for temporary period specially for water supply in emergency situations but malpractices of higher authorities have made them a permanent feature of the megacity.

In other cities of the world, supply and distribution of water through lines and valves to consumers is a standard and developed process but our civic bodies rather working on or bringing improvement and up-gradation of water lines, invest their money in purchasing water tankers. This practice not only make water expensive and spoil a sizable public budget  in means of maintenance, fuel and other expenses of tankers, but most importantly  these heavy vehicles destroy road infrastructure and are reason of traffic problems including accidents and jamming in Karachi.

Both Sindh police and KWSB' authorities shift blame on each other for failing to combat the menace of hydrants and tanker mafia. Yet "the problem is more serious and deep-rooted in Karachi" recently admitted by the DIG police before a judicial commission investigating causes of poor sanitary conditions and the shortage of potable water in Sindh.

Water Contamination

Then the alarming quality of drinking water is a silent havoc in the city. Contamination in water is a serious issue, because analysis of water samples collected from the houses of consumers reveals that a sizable percentage of total collected samples were unsafe for drinking purpose mainly because of micro biological contamination. The Sindh government not only has failed to supply required quantity of potable water to consumers, it has also turned blind eyes to widespread criminal act of releasing contaminated effluent into fresh water bodies.

Chlorination of water in filtration plants are not done properly, although the KWSB maintains that they do chlorinate water but the Board admittedly lacks complete filtration capacity.  The rickety water supply system to the city has also been found ageing. Cases of chronic diseases like diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, typhoid and hepatitis are common, specifically in children living in katchi abadis. According to a news report published way back in 2004, more than 10,000 people die every year in Karachi because of renal function caused by contaminated water.

Alternative Resources of Water

To alleviate the water shortage in Karachi, the KWSB is presently working on the Rs. 25.5 billion K-4 project, which will provide an additional 659 MGD to the city by drawing water from Keenjhar lake.

The Reverse Osmosis (RO) Plants have been tried out in Lyari and Kemari Towns couple of years ago but was not emerged as a good solution of water in Karachi. These plants cost expensive while the high Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in underground water is unsuitable in Karachi . Storm water drains' infiltration is the main reason of TDS because it mobilise, migrates and accumulate in ground water as a result of toxic and other contaminated infiltration.

Desalination plant can be a good option because of the coastal value of the city. But again we hardly afford this expensive expertise and maintenance expense. Most importantly we lack the technical capability to run desalination plants. Take the example of Cogen Power and Desalination Plant which was shut down soon after its inception in 2008. Situated by the seaside at DHA Phase VIII and built at cost of $115 million, the Plant has the capacity to desalinate 3 million gallon seawater into portable drinking water and sell it to the Clifton Cantonment Board to distribute the water in DHA. But it is not functional ever since its kick off and the residents of DHA still bank upon water hydrants for their water need. Though, in middle east the desalination plants are a successful source of water supply and the water authorities of Karachi just need to improve their technical expertise over this technology, but water experts believe that only natural and dedicated water supply lines are the solution of Karachi water crisis.

                                                                                         (Concluded)

By

Najeeb Wali

Member, Infocus

Water Crisis in Karachi ------- (Part I) ----- ..... By Najeeb Wali

Water crisis, in terms of shortage and contamination, is persistent and colossal throughout Karachi, irrespective of posh or under-privileged localities. The world' 7th biggest city with more than 20 million inhabitants, Karachi requires 1100 million gallons daily (MGD) but it is an irony that insufficient system and inefficient management is only able to supply half of this quantity on paper, while even lesser than of half in practice.     

Water is essential to life on earth and it is a lifeline to human beings that bathes and feeds them. Around the globe serious crisis of shortage and scarcity of water resources has been forecast in future, but for the citizens of Karachi that crisis is already in their routines. There is a serious shortage of potable water in the city as the distribution system has failed to deliver water to all the dwellers.

Karachi' foremost source of water supply is Keenjhar lake providing 583 million gallon water per day. Besides, the Hub canal brings 90 MGD to the city from Hub river dam. But in the way farmers, land grabbers, fish farm owners and specially the tanker mafia steal the water from the canals, that accounts for 25% pilferage in supply to the megacity. Besides this pilferage the other factor behind the water shortage is poor maintenance of pumping stations and worn out distribution lines. However, what has turned this shortage into scarcity is the nexus between water authorities and tanker mafia, which keeps creating cosmetic crisis in an already shortfall supply at one hand and sell water through tankers to the residents at exorbitant prices on the other hand.

As an example a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is signed between Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and Karachi Water and Sewage Board (KWSB) to supply 9 MGD water daily to the DHA, the biggest and most affluent society of Pakistan having 70 to 80 thousand homes. But inappropriate supply on behalf of KWSB and irregularities on behalf of DHA compel the residents to rely on tanker mafia for their foremost basic necessity of life. Despite the fact, the Clifton Cantonment Board is one of the best clients of the KWSB for paying its water charges, the supply is still inconsistent and inadequate, which forces their residents to spend upto Rs. 30,000 to 50,000 monthly to purchase water from tankers.  If the supply from KWSB gets normal and regular there will be no problem of water and no need of tankers at least in DHA.

Plundering of Tanker Mafia

Presently Karachites rely on tanker mafia for supply of water at large. They get water from hydrants and supply to houses on their own rates. The mechanism of these hydrants  is run through officers-in-charge of KWSB' hydrant Operations under a Standard Operating Procedure SOP August 25, 2009. The KWSB  claims that there are 24 legal hydrants in the city who serve 20% area of the city. However there are reportedly hundreds of illegal hydrants and other filling points who siphon off the water from the main supply. As reported, over 10 MGD water is stolen per day from the system but independent sources doubt this figure and claim the maneuvering in water distribution and other ways of water theft is even enormous and still unchecked in the city.

                                                                                    (To be continued)

By 

Najeeb Wali

Member, Infocus

Grand Eyewash; to inaugurate the incomplete Hyderabad-Karachi Motorway

Even before the inauguration of the first phase of the Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway (M 9) by the Prime Minister of Pakistan Mian Nawaz Sharif on February 3, 2017, the cruelty is that a hefty toll money with a sizable 400% up in amount was already being collected since a month from the motorists for using the incomplete M 9. As reported, from Rs. 80 to Rs. 800 are presently being charged for travelling in Superhighway. A car which used to pay Rs. 30 at one side, now with the new raise in toll tax is being charged Rs. 140, which is illegitimate and out of proportionate.   

The Sindh government has already expressed its displeasure over hasty and coarse construction of the country' busiest highway calling the development an eyewash and questioned the federal authorities for charging exorbitant toll tax. They also claim the construction a mere facelift  by giving the decade-old Superhighway some repairing work, instead of upgraded to the status of a Motorway. And, their protest is not unjustified because the inauguration by our PM is premature and useless as it doesn't meet with the target set in designs of the M 9.

The scope of the work included the following developments in designs

1. Widening of 136 km 4-lane road into 6-lane facility

2. Construction of 275 km 2-lane service road on either side,

3. Rehabilitation of Existing 4 lanes,

4.Construction of 8 interchanges

5. Improvement of Toll plazas into 24-lane facilities,

6. Introduce weigh stations on new interchanges to check over loading

7.Construction of 2 Service area

8.Construction of 2 Trauma Centres.

Till this date with the exception of only 75 Km widening of 4-lane into 6-lane and one interchange, nothing else have been built yet so there is no reason to celebrate any inauguration ceremony. Furthermore the Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway has been entrusted to the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) for the next 25 years on Built-Operate-Transfer (BOT) basis. The work on the project began in September 2015 and is required to complete in December 2017 with a total cost of Rs. 32150 million. It looks now difficult that in December 2017 the project would get completed and secondly it is unjustified that the operations are begun by the FWO while the project isn't built yet or in incomplete status, according to BOT basis.  

Their Minister of Transport Syed Nasir Hussain Shah described charging the high toll tax an illegal act, saying their government would protest on this move, which is a money extortion from public. Citing examples of Lahore-Multan or Lahore-Islamabad Motorways, he also said the Karachi-Hyderabad road cannot be called a Motorway. 

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Editorial, Infocus