According to reports, the construction work of Port Fountain Jet near Clifton beach at Oyster Rocks is in full swing. This is a turnkey project meaning the UK company invent Water Treatment is both the consultant and contractor.
The overall designing, installation, supply of equipment, commissioning and testing is their responsibility. The Ministry for Ports and Shipping declared it as a 'gift to the nation'. With the construction cost of Rs 226 million, this fountain jet will throw water to a height of 500 feet and would be the highest fountain jet of the world.
The KPT to facilitate the viewers is also installing latest lighting system at Clifton beach. The fountain shall be illuminated with 18 floodlights and its operation room shall have one generator of 35 KVA and 2 diesel engines of 835 KW each.
The need for conducting the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) of such projects seems more justified and indispensable, especially after the incidents of Tasman Spirit in which water of Karachi coastline received 30,000 tons of crude oil making the water badly polluted with heavy and light hydrocarbons. An EIA exclusively covers the probability of any environmental damage occurred during the execution of such projects. Wind profile, sea water sampling nearby the project vicinity, measurement of noise generated from diesel engines noise impact on marine habitat, quantum of oil spillage from passing by oil tankers, human health impacts etc are some features which an EIA entails.
After the Tasman Spirit incident, light portion of hydrocarbon was evaporated resulting in respiratory diseases in the nearby habitation and the heavier portion left behind degraded slowly and further broke down into tar balls littering the beaches and seabed.
According to a report released by Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD) on Tasman Spirit incident, in 2005, the affected strip of the beaches was 100-300m wide and around 12 km long. It was found two and a half months later that oil had penetrated to depths of 68 feet at sites of high impact.
The Karachi coastline, which stretches over 135 km, is facing severe pollution due to a combination of industrial, port, municipal, and transportation activities in the area.
The World Bank noted in an environmental study that sewage and toxic matter pollution in the Karachi Port includes toxic effects by bio--accumulation of oil, DDT, PCB (poly chlorinated biphenyl), and various metals, avoidance reaction by fish and shrimp because of poor water quality and the fact that parts of the mudflat areas are being covered with oil and increased erosion because dying mangroves can no longer reinforce the banks with their roots. The untreated waste passes around the Oysters Rocks before reaching the Clifton and Defence beach.
The residential buildings on Clifton and Defence are sea facing and will be affected by the Fountain water jet spray. The 500 meters water jet, after commissioning, will spray the hydrocarbon along with the toxic chemicals and will affect the visitors at sea view directly. The people will suffer from nausea, dizziness, indigestion and vomiting, besides having respiratory track complications.
The government should take the notice of this situation. So far in the view of time constraint, instructions should be given to conduct a 'Rapid Environmental Assessment' of Fountain Jet Project before commissioning the lofty gift for the citizens of Karachi.
Moreover, the government should immediately take the mitigation measures pertaining to the marine pollution. Mangroves should be replant, ocean dumping of wastes must be strictly banned, NEQS to be forcefully implemented, environmental policies on the shipping industry to be made on urgent basis and may be incorporate in the legislation.
How better it would be if the massive amount of Rs 225 million would be spent to save the waters of Karachi from pollution.