Coastal population's woes: government urged to resolve fishing and agriculture issues

The provincial coastal development authority has failed to come up with a plan to facilitate coastal population in organising their territorial jurisdiction and community lives, it was learnt on Saturday.
People living in the coastal belt of Sindh said that despite assurances from the government to organise their living by being instrumental in fishing and agricultural activities, nothing had been done so far.
They said that the coastal development department had assured the coastal population that it would provide basic facilities to their localities such as potable water, fishing, its marketing and preservation, coconut plantation, assistance in animal husbandry, and school and health facilities. They said that the Sindh coastal belt, which stretched from one end in Balochistan to another in Indian Gujarat, was more than 850 miles.
They said it was rich in resources to sustain coastal population and produces enough seafood to export, and added there was enough to meet the entire need of the coastal population and to earn for the national exchequer, but so far nothing had been done.
The coastal development authority is entrusted to draw development plans with two clearly defined purposes - welfare of the people and commercial exploitation of coastal resources. Official sources acquiesced with the grievances of the coastal people, and said that the provincial government had not been able to identify priority areas to initiate development programmes.
The government was yet to decide whether it was the commercial exploitation of coastal resources or the welfare of the people that should be given priority, the said, adding: From where to begin is their worry."
Coastal belt of Sindh is highly politicised and sensitive to government initiatives. "They want their leaders to decide for them and fix priorities. This desire of the people and the intention of the government do not go together," Officials said, and added: "This is the main reason that should be taken into account while looking at the progress of developmental work in coastal belt."
Officials are of the view that the coastal belt should have extensive coconut plantation and these plants should be given in custody of families living nearby. They should get technical and financial support from the government. "The feeling of ownership is the key to the survival of this plantation," they said.
To a question, officials said that there were issues pertaining to ownership of land in the coastal belt. Unless these issues are settled, much of the progress would remain halfway. They said that the Sindh Revenue Department had yet to take up this matter.
They said that proper developmental work was in progress in some of the coastal areas, but its expansion on a large scale had not been taken up. "Our works remain incomplete and our development funds mostly unutilised," they added.