Illegal Constructions have Encroached Karachi at large

Way back in 2015 a few hundred residents of Moon Garden in Gulistan e Jauhar spent two nights in open during chilling winters as protest when they were forced evacuation from their homes. As their flat site had been termed illegal by the Sindh High Court, allotments of apartments were declared malicious and the Court ordered the Karachi Development Authority (KDA) to demolish the building. The protesting residents blamed the Sindh government and their builder responsible for the crime, as the builder not only built more storeys than permitted by the law but also on a land that belonged to Pakistan Railways.

That protest got widespread coverage across the country persuading the Supreme Court of Pakistan to annul the verdict of Sindh High Court and fined the builder of Rs. 50 million which the builder willingly agreed to pay for violating the law. Although, the Supreme Court saved the residents from going homeless but this judgment also raised eyebrows as it was meant to set a bitter precedent of regularization of illegal construction on amenity lands by paying some financial penalties.

 If at that time the Supreme Court’ verdict came as to demolish illegal construction along with financially compensate the residents or providing homes of equivalent standard or even sentence of the builder and authorities involved in the scam, it would have been much better which outright discouraged illegal construction in the city. But with this verdict the fear of punishment was vanished among greedy builders, who sped up their illegal constructions, china-cuttings and land-grabbing across the Karachi city.

Today, the consequences of that judgment are reflecting again. As the issue of illegal construction has resurfaced and an ongoing demolition drive by the KDA on the orders of Supreme Court is a subject of civic concern among the Karachites. The Supreme Court had on Nov 30, 2017 directed the KDA and Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) to clear 35,000 amenity plots of the city of encroachments within two months. The SC’s two-member bench headed by the Justice Gulzar Ahmed issued directives to the KDA and the KMC on the petition of a civilian. Thus, the estate and enforcement department of the KDA is, under its ongoing operation, demolishing various structures including marriage halls and residential building raised illegally on amenity plots in areas like Korangi, F.B. Ara, Gulshan e Iqbal, Gulistan e Jauhar, North Nazimabad, PIB Colony, Laiquatabad, Nazimabad and Saddar. In a statement Sindh Local Government Minister has asserted that in line with the Supreme Court directives, the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) and Karachi Development Authority would continue their anti-encroachment drive on amenity plots “till all the illegal constructions are razed to the ground.”

On the other hand, the demolition of structures that included residential facilities purchased by hundreds of Karachites in ignorance of the fact that those buildings were raised illegally attracted serious reactions from MQM-Pakistan which termed it a “politically motivated” drive by Sindh Government. The KMC’ City Council also passed unanimous resolution to comply with the orders of the country’ top court from removing encroachments, but requested consideration for people living on occupied properties.

Housing and accommodations have always been an undomesticated issue in Karachi city. With a population of over 20 million, uncontrolled growth rate and unchecked magnitude of migration from rural and tribal areas, the problem of sheltering is getting worsened with each passing day. That ignited a web of encroachments via unregistered Katchi Abadis throughout metropolitan and also illegal construction by grabbing amenity lands like parks, playgrounds, welfare centres and etc.   

The present Supreme Court judgment must be welcome without doubt but it should have also been accompanied with serious punishments to land grabbers and concerned land authorities. Also, commercial constructions on amenity plots like wedding halls, madarssahs, private schools and private clubs mustn’t be spared but the residential constructions should be reviewed again and alternate shelters for displaced people need to be sought.    

Mayor Waseem Akhtar rightly said encroachments at parks and amenity plots should never be allowed but if the people were to be displaced, they be provided with alternative living spaces with approval of the City Council.  That’s the reason not only protests are continued in affected areas but also the City Council – the elected representative body of the metropolitan -- has requested the apex court to review its decision.

Members of the City Council also questioned the regularization of Katachi Abadis by the Sindh Government. It is estimated there are presently more than 5000 Katachi Abadis, Goth or slum areas in Karachi’ vicinity, while 10 years back their quantity was less than 2000. The Federal Government together with the Sindh Government cannot spare from blame because both have not launched any low cost public housing scheme in Karachi since decades. The prices of land of Karachi is so up today that a poor or even a middleclass family cannot afford now any home of their own here.   

The housing and shelter is a massive problem of the day in Karachi and the governments have no intentions to solve this basic human need. The result -- might be temporary stopped -- but illegal construction will remain in full swing in the city and the poor residents remain the victims of land grabbing mafia in the city.

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Pakistan’s Science-Policy Conference on Climate Change – The First & Foremost Endeavour.

The first Science-Policy Conference on Climate Change organized by the Global Change Impact Studies Centre (GCISC) – a research wing of the Ministry of Climate Change – might serve as the first concrete dialogue in Pakistan where perils of Climate Change were taken seriously at official levels. Prime Minister of Pakistan Shahid Khaqan Abbasi not only laid down the basic in-hand policies of the government to tackle this menace but also vowed that Pakistan remains committed to playing its role in global efforts for tackling the issue of Climate Change.

The PM seemed steadfast in his speech during inaugural session when stated “Climate Change has become one of the biggest challenges for mankind and has united all international community at one platform for action against its hazards.”

Pakistan ratified the Paris Agreement in 2015 and following the principles therein to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions by 20%. Investment and international funding in reduction of Climate Change’ effects, however, is important being the global citizens.

Despite having only a 1% of greenhouse footprint, Pakistan is among the top 10 most affected countries on the Global Climate Risk Index (CRI, 2016), and currently faces a number of climate-related challenges, including rising temperatures, unpredictable changes in precipitation patterns, increased frequency and intensity of extreme health events, recurring droughts and floods, groundwater pollution, rising sea levels, potential for heightened conflicts over water rights between riparian regions, increased health risks due to changes in disease vectors, environmental degradation specially of water-related ecosystems, declining agricultural productivity, and governance issue associated with these stresses.

Mentioning the recent prevalence of smog in the Punjab, the PM rightly pointed out it should serve as an eye-opener to be more serious about the issue of environment.

The Science-Policy Conference on Climate Change provides an initial mapping of efforts being undertaken to alleviate the impacts of Climate Change, assessment of knowledge and capacity needs and priorities that better reflect the Pakistani development context, and a stimulating environment with the intention to yield innovative ideas and grounds for implementation.

The PM cited diverse efforts by Pakistan in this regard and told the delegates Pakistan has allocated 8% of its budget to fight the effects of Climate Change. Not only he informed that Pakistan had a zero import of furnace oil and running the related power houses on imported liquified natural gas but expressed confidence that the country will completely phase out furnace oil-based power generation in near future to mitigate oil’s negative fallout on climate. About clean energy he briefed that 50% of primary energy coming from gas and other 20% from hydropower and other resources.

Around 100 scientists from all over the world presented their research findings at the 3-day conference on Climate Change which is the first ever international event on the issue in the country hosted by the GCISC.

Other institutions that collaborate in the endeavor included the US Pakistan Centre for Advanced Studies, the Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, the University of UTH, the Sustainable Development Policy Institute, the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in South, the Higher Education Commission, the Pakistan Meteorological Department, National Disaster Management Authority and HBS.

The Conference highlights the need for improved climate-related research and information for Pakistan as well as help prepare policy recommendations to address Climate Change challenges affecting the country development, promote coordination among researchers and institutions working on different aspects of climate change in Pakistan and facilitate their collaboration with international scientists and experts engaged in research activities.

Editorial, Infocus.

Let Karachi breathe clean air

A recent World Health Organisation (WHO) report reveals that ambient and household air pollution in cities cause a horrible figure of 6.5 million premature deaths every year globally. And, it is an open secret the air quality in Karachi is highly unsatisfactory, if not fully unsafe, because of presence of heavy smoke in the atmosphere and also resulting in rising numbers of serious diseases particularly allergic, respiratory and cardiac illnesses in recent times.

The major ambient or outdoor pollution sources include: vehicles, power generation, building heating system and industrial, agricultural and hospitals’ incinerations. While indoors people are also prone to various polluting technologies and fuels for household cooking, heating, lighting, releasing smoke into the home and leaching pollutants outdoors.

With the city of Lahore severely hit by smog last month and predictable widening of smog horizon in the region, there is an urgency that the authorities of Karachi must give a proper focus in regards to air pollution to save citizens from growing environmental hazards. At present the air in Karachi is largely being polluted by automobile smoke, specially Rickshaws and Buses, industrial emissions, open burning of garbage, house fires and other particles. It is high time the Sindh Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Metropolitan’ health and municipal services departments must act immediately in this regard.

It must not be forgot that last year the WHO in a report ranked Karachi the fifth most polluted city in the world. The report ranked 1600 cities of 91 countries for quality of their air, which is measured for concentrations of particulate matters (PM10 and PM2.5), two major harmful pollutants that can cause serious diseases.

NUMBEO is the world’ largest database of user contributed data about cities and countries, which provides current and timely information on living conditions including cost of living, health, traffic, crime, pollution and etc. According to NUMBEO, Karachi’ present Air pollution level of PM10 and PM2.5 are 290 and 88 respectively which is extremely high as suggest by WHO standards. It also says pollution index of Karachi is 95.65 and Pollution EXP scale is 172.6. 

It is also unfortunate that Karachi is one of the few cities in the world who haven’t have their own air quality index -- a criterion of computing used by government authorities to address to the public about the concentration of pollution in the air. The air quality monitoring exercises of SEPA are erratic and the provincial agency never analysed or documented it’s data to predict future pollution level. The Environmental Monitoring Stations in the city installed at the head office of SEPA in Korangi and Deputy Commissioner, Central’ office in North Nazimabad are dysfunctional and the only environmental monitoring van in the city is longer remained mobile.

Humans health relies on air quality which is also closely linked to earth’ climate and ecosystems globally. The city administration should come up to devise and implement a brief strategy to improve the quality of air before breathing becomes impossible in Karachi.

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