Coastal Erosion in Pakistan

55

Produced with the financial support of Norad/Sida and Danida. The designation of geographical entities in this book, and the presentation of the material, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IUCN concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Published by: WWF-Pakistan, MFF Pakistan and Government of Pakistan

Copyright: © 2014 MFF, Mangroves for the Future, Pakistan. Citation is encouraged. Reproduction and/or translation of this publication for educational or other non-commercial purposes is authorised without prior written permission from MFF Pakistan, provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of this publication for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without prior written permission from MFF Pakistan. Citation: MFF Pakistan (2014). Coastal Erosion in Pakistan: A National Assessment Report. MFF Pakistan, Pakistan. 52 pp. Compilation: WWF Pakistan Editor: Mahvash Haider Ali Technical Editor: Ghulam Qadir Shah, National Coordinator, MFF Pakistan ISBN: 978-969-643-016-2 Design: Azhar Saeed, IUCN Pakistan Photographs: WWF Pakistan, Nadeem Mirbahar Printed by: Rosette Printers (Pvt) Limited Available from: IUCN Pakistan Country Office 1 Bath Island, Road, Karachi 75530, Pakistan. Tel: +92 (21) 35861540/41/42 Fax: +92 (21) 35861448 www.mangrovesforthefuture.org

1

Table of Contents Abbreviations and Acronyms

2

Executive Summary

4

1

Introduction

6

1.1 Background

6

1.2 Geographical Background

1.3 Policy/Administrative/ Governance Background Relevant to Addressing Coastal Erosion

2

11

Coastal Erosion - Situation Analysis

12 18

2.4 Chapter Summary: Assessment of Issue on Coastal Erosion

30

Policies and Legal/Institutional Mechanisms dealing with Coastal Erosion

31

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Past Policies and Legal/ Institutional Mechanisms

3.3 Present Policies and Legal/ Institutional Mechanisms

3.4 Planned/Future Policies and Legal/ Institutional Mechanisms

31

31

34

35

3.5 Chapter Summary

35

37

4.1 Introduction

4.3 Current Interventions and Development – Contribute (and Hinder)

4.4 Planned/Future Interventions and Development Support

4.5 Chapter Summary

37

37

38

39

40

Assessment of Gaps and Needs

41

5.1 Introduction:

41

5.2 Policies, Legal and Institutional Arrangements

5.3 Building Capacities

5.4 Knowledge and Education

5.5 Finances

6

27

Current and Planned Interventions 4.2 Past Interventions and Development – Brief Survey

5

13

2.2 Factors Influencing Coastal Erosion: Assessment

2.3 Focus on Sea-Level Rise (SLR) – Highlight Climate Change/ SLR on Coastal Erosion

4

9

1.4 Relevance of MFF/YEOSU Regional Initiative and other related Initiatives/Programmes in addressing Coastal Erosion 2.1 Present Status of Erosion: Overview of Coastal Erosion Problem

3

6

41

42

42

43

5.6 Chapter Summary

43

Menu of Recommended Pilot Interventions

44

6.1 Introduction: Identification of Hotspots and Types of Intervention

6.2 Identification of Locations of Hotspots

6.3 Recommended Pilot Interventions

6.4 Work Plan of Pilot Intervention

44

44

46

46

6.5 Chapter Summary

47

7

Conclusion

48

8

References

49

2

Abbreviations and Acronyms BCDA

Balochistan Coastal Development Authority

CCAP

Climate Change Adaptation Plans

COBSEA

Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia

CRI

Global Climate Risk Index

DCO

District Coordination Officer

DG

Director General

DHA

Defence Housing Authority

DPO

District Police Officer

EEZ

Exclusive Economic Zone

EPA

Environmental Protection Agency

GIS

Geographical Information System

GO

Government Organisation

ICZM

Integrated Coastal Zone Management

IUCN

International Union for the Conservation of Nature & Natural Resources

KDA

Karachi Development Authority

KPOD

Kadhan Pateji Outfall Drain

KPT

Karachi Port Trust

LAPA

Local Adaptation Plans of Actions

LBOD

Left Bank Outfall Drain

LGO

Local Government Ordinance

LP

LEAD Pakistan

LPG

Liquid Petroleum Gas

MFF

Mangroves For the Future

MSA

Maritime Security Agency

NAR

National Assessment Report

NDMA

National Disaster Management Authority

NEQS

National Environment Quality Standards

NGOs

Non-Governmental Organisations

NIO

National Institute of Oceanography

NOC

No Objection Certificate

PEPA

Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency

RCC

Reinforced Concrete Cement

SCDA

Sindh Coastal Development Authority

SEPA

Sindh Environmental Protection Agency

3

SIDA

Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority

SLR

Sea Level Rise

SST

Sea Surface Temperature

TMA

Taluka Municipal Administration

UC

Union Council

UNDP

United Nations Development Programme

UNEP

United Nations Environment Programme

UNESCO

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

WWF

World Wide Fund for Nature

YEOSU Project South Korean programme for strengthening capabilities of developing countries to meet the challenges related to the oceans and the environment.

4

Executive Summary Pakistan borders the Arabian Sea with a coastline stretching up to 990 km spread along the Sindh and Balochistan provinces. Out of 990 km, 230 km of the coast lies within the province of Sindh and the rest along the province of Balochistan. The sensitive ecology of the land along the coast of Pakistan is under environmental pressures due to a number of activities. These include developmental activities, harbour- and port-related activities such as dredging, land reclamation, disposal of solid waste and sewage. These activities have made the coast vulnerable to erosion or accretion. The National Assessment Report (NAR) on the vulnerabilities of coastal erosion in Pakistan is prepared to ascertain the level of changes to the coastline resulting from erosion and identifies potential pilot interventions. It discusses the environmental and geographical setting of the coastal zone of Pakistan. It also presents the administrative and governance context in terms of laws and legislations that deal with coastal disasters. It presents an assessment of the status of erosion in the coastal zone of Pakistan and factors that are responsible for the erosion. The report covers the institutional mechanism and governing laws. It indicates that in the past there was no policy for combating coastal erosion and taking mitigation measures due to the fact that it was not considered a threatening problem for the coastal land. It assesses gaps in the management regime in mitigating coastal erosion resulting from the lack of interaction and cooperation amongst different stakeholders involved in the development work in the coastal zone. The coastal area of Pakistan is under the direct influence of oceanic forces that have severe bearings on the coast. One of the major forces is the monsoon weather system that develops due to a differential heating regime. Meanwhile an increasing number of development related interventions have been initiated on the coast for different real estate purposes. The anthropogenic changes are causing huge loss of property of the public and private owners through the reshaping of the coastline by erosion and accretion at important sites. Although erosion is a natural phenomenon but, because of the coastal movement in its position season to season, it is largely evident in populated areas along the coast due to human interventions. The main hotspots, identified and discussed with root cause of the problem, are the Indus Delta, Damb, Pasni, Gwadar and Jiwani, which require immediate attention. The most important functions of the coastal land and waters are harbours, industry and tourism, therefore the responsibility for the protection of such areas is binding on all the permanent users, but mainly on the government agencies that manage and steer the usage of the coastal areas. Additionally, there are relevant policies and practices of non-coastal sectors, including the private sector that can exacerbate coastal erosion. The use of the coast for berthing the ships/boats continues without any consolidated mechanism. The Karachi Harbour is the only institution which has been using the coast for the last 125 years and engaging in port related development. In the recent past, the Port

5 Qasim Authority (PQA) has also been amongst the institutions using coastal areas. The situation in Balochistan is more serious due to the lack of resources. The ship re-cycling industry has been active for a long time now, and has been blocking longshore movement of seawater and sediment that increases erosion. Similarly, different government departments, such as GDA, BCDA and Fisheries Department are either constructing or have constructed fishing jetties. The interventions in the coastal areas of Pakistan have exacerbated the erosion in the Indus Delta due to the impact of the LBOD system. The development of unplanned Water Front Projects at Karachi and port facilities for fish landing at Damb, Pasni, Gwadar, Pishukan and Jiwani have also exacerbated erosion. As a result of failure of the development work along the coastal belt of Pakistan, it is learned that there is a lack of coordination amongst various stakeholders involved in developmental activities in the coastal areas. Pakistan is required to respond to erosion by using various means to control shoreline erosion. These means can be to include constructing hard erosion control devices such as seawalls, groins and jetties, and soft stabilization of beaches using beach nourishment. This will all have to be conducted after due consideration of sediment transport pattern and soil bearing capacity of the area. Further to this, at national/sub-national and local levels, it will be beneficial to build the capacity of all relevant stakeholders, CBOs and local communities on basic assessment of coastal habitats, beach monitoring methods, mapping techniques and coastal erosion mitigation planning. It is required that they are brought under a coordinating body to streamline the efforts. All the universities, like University of Lasbela at Uthal, University of Karachi, engineering universities in Karachi, as well as university campuses in Thatta and Badin districts established in the coastal cities and towns in Pakistan, should be engaged in data collection and dissemination of information to combat the erosion issue with the technical assistance of the National Institute of Oceanography.

The hotspots of coastal erosion in Pakistan as identified suggest relevant interventions with the basis of selection. The interventions were suggested by a number of participants from government, civil society, academia, CBOs and local communities during a consultative workshop held for the development of this report. After the December 2004 tsunami in Indonesia and the 2005 earthquake in Kashmir, the Government of Pakistan established disaster management systems at the federal, provincial and district levels. However, at present they are not dealing with the activities that exacerbate coastal erosion. The entire responsibility is left to the provincial departments in general and land departments of cities in particular. Further to this, the existing institutional mandates and policies of coastal agencies do not give adequate attention to coastal erosion processes and issues. At present the responsibility for planning of coastal protection schemes is usually located at a provincial level. There are many gaps in implementing the protection polices in the provinces. A detailed review of the policies being finalised has revealed that there is no coordinated policy to address the erosion problem in the two provinces and at the national levels. At different forums, however, there have been calls for a mechanism that should be developed to address this issue and adopt appropriate institutional and policy measures to deal with it. While discussing the issue of erosion with the relevant stakeholders including policy makers, technical experts and representatives of local communities, it was transpired to formulate a National Coastal Erosion Management Plan. It was also agreed that pilot interventions may be immediately undertaken to cope with the erosion problems being faced by the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan. These interventions may include flood protection wall at Keti Bundar, re-designing and repair of Tidal Link drain, re-designing of fish harbours and protection walls at Damb, Gaddani, Pasni and Jiwani.

6

1

INTRODUCTION OF EROSION ASSESSMENT

This document is a National Assessment Report (NAR) on the vulnerabilities of the Pakistani coast to erosion as a consequence of both human intervention and natural phenomenon. On the basis of the assessments presented in this report, recommendations on mitigation measures, including pilot interventions to be adopted, have been made to address the coastal erosion issue in Pakistan. This report is part of UNEP-COBSEA's project “Strengthening the Resilience of Coastal Communities, Ecosystems, and Economies to Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Erosion” financed by the Mangroves for the Future (MFF) Programme.

1.1 Background Pakistan is bordered by the Arabian Sea with a coastline of 990 km stretching along the Sindh and Balochistan provinces. Out of 990 km, 230 km of the coast lies within the province of Sindh and the rest along the province of Balochistan. In both the coastal provinces of Pakistan, the coastal areas are under environmental stress due to developmental activities such as construction of harbours, dredging, land reclamation, disposal of solid waste and sewage. Furthermore, development activities in the areas have put the coast in a vulnerable state due to the impact of erosion and/or accretion. Considering the impacts of coastal zone erosion on the coastal communities and economy, the UNEP is conducting a two-year project, “Strengthening the Resilience of Coastal Communities, Ecosystems, and Economies to Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Erosion” with the financial collaboration of the MFF Programme. The aims of the project are to strengthen the resilience of coastal ecosystems, communities and local and national economies to more effectively manage the adverse impacts of sea-level rise and coastal erosion in two MFF countries: Pakistan and Thailand. In addition to addressing coastal erosion, the initiative will consolidate and share existing knowledge and best practices in coastal resource management, along with conducting research on mangrove conservation, community resilience, and governance in small coastal communities.

1.2 Geographical Background The coastline of Pakistan is 990 kilometres long. (Figure 1) The submerged Indus Canyon is the northern most boundary of the Arabian Sea which also

7

Figure 1 - Location of Pakistan on the border of Arabian Sea along with its surroundings and natural features on land and on adjoining Arabian Sea

constitutes as the northern part of Indian Ocean. The Arabian Sea is bound in the north by the Asian continent making it distinguishable from other world oceans which stretch to the northern polar area. This unique geographical location of the Arabian Sea has significant consequences for the climate and the physiography of the surrounding areas, especially in the case of Pakistan. Bordering the Arabian Sea, the coastal area of Pakistan is under the direct influence of oceanic forces that have severe bearings on the coast. One of the major forces is the monsoon weather system that develops due to a differential heating regime. The differential heating between the Arabian Sea and the surrounding land masses, as a result of the seasonal movement of the sun, causes a north-south pressure gradient that drives the seasonally reversing (monsoon) winds over the North Indian Ocean (NIO). Rainfall during the Southwest (SW) monsoon is the major source of freshwater in the coastal regions of the Sindh

province along the Arabian Sea. However, the coastal areas of Pakistan, particularly Lasbella and Gwadar districts of Balochistan, also receive rain of a lesser intensity in winter (Figure 2). The coast of Pakistan extends from the Sir Creek in District Badin near the Pak-India border to Dasht River at the extreme west of District Gwadar near the Pak-Iran border. As a combination of atmospheric forcing, oceanic forcing and tectonic activities, the coast has been categorised into three broad geomorphic divisions: rocky cliffs (some geologists refer to these as raised terraces), wide sandy beaches, and low, flat delta plains. A detailed description of the coastline of Balochistan and Sindh is provided as follows:

1.2.1

Coastline along Balochistan

The coastline of Balochistan (Figure 2) extends from Hub River, west of Karachi, to the Iranian border, encompassing uplifted mountains and platforms separated by scalloped bays, wide

8 sandy plains, salt marshes and lagoons, and relatively small deltas. It is divided into Lasbela plains (extending between Hub River and Ras Malan) and Makran (extending between Ras Malan and the Iranian border). Several of the raised platforms or elevated areas along the coast represent terraces and fault blocks - for example, Ormara and Ras Malan. The tectonic movements and erosion processes are highly active in the area as evidenced by the more than fifty earthquakes that have occurred in recent history. The raised terraces on the Makran coast are wavecut platforms covered with beach and near-shore sediment, which are now elevated above the level of present wave action through either elevation of the land or lowering of the sea. Intensive wave action during the summer monsoon season erodes

the cliffs from weaker areas in Gaddani, Ras Malan, Ormara Headland, Pasni, Ras Shaheed, Gwadar Headland and Jiwani. Shoreline deposits are poorly represented because progressive folding, uplift and erosion have permanently removed the northern edges of the sedimentary prisms. Two kinds of shoreline deposits exist - one is sandy which shows typical coarsening-upward cycles of lower shore face, surf-zone, and beach faces developed on wave dominated protruding shorelines (Harms et al., 1975). The other is more calcareous and contains abundant remains of coral, robust clams, and other forms that thrive in shallow wave-agitated water where detrital supply does not smother their growth. These two types presumably represent reaches of shoreline that were either at or near the stream mouths or between streams

Figure 2 - Delineation of areas of Balochistan and Sindh which receive rain in different seasons (modified from Snead, 1993)

9 where long shore supply of mud or sand was limited (Haq and Milliman, 1984). Surf-zone deposits of trough cross-stratified, medium to fine grained sand show orientations indicating strong westward drift, commonly observed on the modern shoreline under the attack of large Indian Ocean waves approaching at an oblique angle. Well-sorted beach beds cap these surf-zone sandstone deposits, showing delicate lamination dipping at low angles seaward in cusp-shaped sets. The shoreline beaches include Hub river mouth, and its coastal vicinity towards Gaddani, Miani Hor lagoon and the surroundings along the lagoon inlet, low-lying areas near Ormara, the coastal zone of Pasni in between river and Ras Koh, Kalmat Khor, alluvial plains of Gwadar town, and Jiwani including Dasht river mouth.

1.2.2 Sindh Coastal Zone The coastal zone of Sindh (Figure 2) encompasses modern Indus delta and extends from an area between Cape Monz (Ras Muari) Karachi and the Rann of Kutch in India with variable geological settings in between and erosional activities having different causes. 1.2.2.1 Karachi Coast

The Karachi coastline has a series of raised beaches and marine terraces along the coast west of the Karachi harbour. These are 6 m – >15 m above sea level and are matched by river terraces of roughly similar height inland. With areas having an elevation of 6 – 7 m above sea level, the Karachi coastline is backed by old sea cliffs that are partly rock. Some uplift may have occurred there since 325 BC (Stein, 1943). On the lower Indus plain there is some indication that even since the Arab period there may have been uplift of 3 – 4 m. The 4 m high, wave-cut bench of Cape Monz may correspond with this uplift. 1.2.2.2 Deltaic Coast of Districts Thatta, Sujawal and Badin

From inland extending towards the sea, the Indus delta spreads in Districts Thatta, Sujawal and Badin and is comprised of deltaic floodplain deposits with an intervening meander belt of

deposits from the distributaries, an arcuate zone of older tidal deltaic deposits, followed by more recent deposits of the tidal delta and coastal sand dunes (Kazmi, 1984). The delta itself is thus a product of energetic interaction between fluvial and marine processes (Wells and Coleman, 1984). Historically the delta formed in an arid climate with a high river discharge, moderate tidal range, extremely high wave energy, and strong monsoon winds from the southwest in summer and northeast in winter. The resulting barren, sandy delta is dissected by numerous tidal channels and has protruded seaward during the last 5000 years at 30 m yr−. Delta morphology is midway between that of fluvial dominated (elongate, protruding distributaries) and high energy, wave dominated (beach, beach ridge and long shore drift deposits) estuary. Recently, due to man-made changes, specially diversion and damming of water in the upland or near the delta, combined with climate variability, severe erosion occurs not only within the deltaic creeks but also at the confluence of coastal zone area that is directly facing the wave energy.

1.3 Policy/Administrative/Governance Background Relevant to Addressing Coastal Erosion Coastal erosion is a slow process that is influenced strongly by wave energy. As soon as there is abnormal variation in the sea level, water takes advantage of the eroded area and inundates the land. The sea level variation enhanced by the passage of cyclone or wave action that was either generated within the area or at some far flung area, can be forecasted well in advance so that safety measures could be adopted before the encroachment of seawater. In the past, the coastal areas, being sparsely populated in Balochistan and parts of the Sindh province, had received little attention as far as policy and institutional measures are concerned. There was no exclusive policy in Pakistan for combating coastal erosion and taking mitigation measures due to the fact that it was not considered a threatening problem for the coastal

10 land. There has been no or little realisation of the negative impacts of coastal infrastructure developments leading to coastal erosion. However, with new information about particular disasters in the coastal areas, ad-hoc measures like shifting of communities to safer places were adopted with the assistance of Federal and Provincial governments at the request of local communities and district administration.

Even at present, there is no stand-alone policy in Pakistan to deal directly with issues pertaining to coastal erosion. However, there are many indirect plans and policies that partly deal with this issue. For the future, National Maritime Policy 2002 is being revised in 2014 and will cover various maritime aspects within a wider scope. Also a

Table 1: Policies and Institutions Addressing the Issue of Coastal Erosion Federal l

l

l

l

l

l

l l

l

l

l

l

l

l

National Maritime Policy 2002 National Maritime Strategy National Climate Change Policy 2012 National Fisheries Policy National Environmental Policy 2005 Territorial Waters & Maritime Zone Act 1976 Statutory Notification of 29 August 1996 that specifies the Baseline, the Contiguous Zone, the Continental Shelf and the EEZ of Pakistan Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997 KPT (Amendment) Ordinance 2000 Exclusive Fishery Zone Act 1975 P Q Authority Act 1973 National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) Act Pakistan Territorial Water and Maritime Zone Network Pakistan Maritime Security Agency

Provincial ➢ Balochistan Province Balochistan Coastal Development Authority Act 1998 l Balochistan Sea Fisheries Ordinance 1971 l Pasni Fish Harbour Authority Ordinance l Balochistan Environmental Protection Act 2012 l Gwadar Development Authority Act 2003 l Balochistan Wildlife Act 1974 l Balochistan Forest Regulation 1890 l ➢ Sindh Province Coastal Development Authority Act 1994 l Sindh Sea Fisheries Ordinance 1980 l Karachi Fish Harbour Authority Ordinance 1984 l Sindh Forest Act 1970 l Local l

l

l

Karachi Development Authority (CDGK) Lyari Development Authority (LDA) Zulfikarabad Development Authority (ZDA)

Private/NGO DHA Karachi l IUCN l WWF l

11 National Maritime Strategy is under the process of finalisation with inputs from the relevant stakeholders. The Maritime Strategy covers in greater detail the relevant approaches and targets, i.e. coastal zone management, marine research, shipping, coastal development infrastructure and also climatic aspects.

1.4 Relevance of MFF/YEOSU Regional Initiative and Other Related Initiatives/ Programmes in Addressing Coastal Erosion Mangroves for the Future (MFF) Programme is a unique partner-led initiative to promote investment in conservation and sustainable management of coastal ecosystem to ensure food security and mitigation of climate change. It provides a collaborative platform among different agencies, sectors and countries which are addressing challenges to coastal ecosystem and livelihood issues, to work towards a common goal. MFF builds on a history of coastal management interventions before and after the December 2004 tsunami, especially the call to continue the momentum and partnerships generated by the immediate post-tsunami response. In the aftermath of the tsunami of 2004, in Indonesia, coastal mangroves were regarded as having provided a partial buffer which countered the force of the tsunami wave and thereby saved lives (UNEP, 2005). The MFF Charter mandates it to: 1. Improve the social science and natural science knowledge base for effective and informed coastal planning, policy and management; 2. Support science-based and ecologically sound coastal ecosystem rehabilitation; 3. Support the ‘reef-to-ridge’ approach to management; 4. Increase knowledge and awareness of the economic value of coastal ecosystems; 5. Share lessons learned through regular evaluation of progress and impacts of coastal management interventions; 6. Strengthen the awareness and participation of civil society in understanding and acting on

7. 8.

9. 10. 11. 12.

13.

14. 15.

the role of ecosystems as development “infrastructure”; Contribute to the development of a cadre of professional coastal managers in the region; Support coastal livelihood activities that are both sustainable and help to maintain natural ecosystems; Improve the resilience of coastal communities to disasters; Develop sustainable financial mechanisms for coastal ecosystem and livelihood activities; Establish effective, participatory national integrated coastal management programmes; Support land use planning which recognises both ecosystem and community needs, and is based on the effective enforcement of environmental regulations. Establish national systems of effectively managed coastal and marine protected areas that contribute to a regional network; Use ecological and socioeconomic impact assessment and adaptive management; Promote environmentally sustainable business practices.

The Republic of Korea has initiated a project "Addressing the Challenge of Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Erosion in the East Asian Seas – as an Initial Implementation of the COBSEA Regional Strategy" under YEOSU initiatives. The main objective and purpose of this project is to facilitate and guide the effective management of coastal erosion in these countries, with a view to improving coastal resilience and thereby reducing the impacts on ecosystems, the economy and the safety, health, quality of life and livelihoods of the peoples of the region. This will be done in an ecosystembased and sustainable manner, within an Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) framework. The interventions suggested on the basis of assessment of erosion problem in Pakistan are well in line with the charter of MFF, because the resilience of coastal communities as well as the ecosystem will be enhanced through MFF participation and adaptive management. The interventions to be suggested by the YEOSU project are to be finalised.

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2

SITUATION ANALYSIS

Coastal erosion is primarily a natural phenomenon, which has always existed and contributed throughout history to shaping coastal landscapes. In Pakistan, coastal erosion, as well as soil erosion in water catchments of Indus, and other small rivers that empty at the coast, is the main process which provides terrestrial sediment to the coastal systems including beaches, dunes, mud flats, and marshes. In turn, coastal systems provide a wide range of functions including absorption of wave energies, nesting and hatching of fauna, protection of freshwater, or as sites for recreation. However, greater migration of human population towards the coast, together with the ever increasing human interference in the coastal land and waters has now contributed to a growing intensity in erosion of our coastal lands. The 990-km coastline of Pakistan is rich in biodiversity. Most of the economic activity is concentrated in Karachi due to the presence of development and communication facilities. Communities living along the rest of the coast of Pakistan as depicted in Figure 3 are coastal settlements engaged in fishing and allied activities, with a small percentage of them engaged in agriculture. Available data indicates that the vast majority of coastal population lives below the poverty line. An increasing number of development related interventions have been initiated on the coast for different real estate purposes. The anthropogenic changes that are not in agreement with the natural processes of erosion and accretion are causing huge loss of property of the public and/or private Figure 3 - Location of coastal towns of Pakistan where majority of population lives with development work in the coastal area

13 owners through the reshaping of the coastline by erosion and accretion at important sites. This chapter analyses the erosion situation along the coastal belt in Pakistan.

2.1 Present Status of Erosion: Overview of Coastal Erosion Problem

Table 2: Locations of Coastal Erosion with the Intensity of Erosion

Province

Balochistan

2.1.1 National Level: Areas and Severity (Including Identification of Hotspots) The coastline of Balochistan is administered by two districts, Gwadar and Lasbela. The Sindh coastline is administered by four districts, Karachi, Thatta, Sujawal and Badin. If there were no human obstruction to the longshore sediment transport, the natural erosion along the coastal belt of Balochistan and Sindh would have been due to a process of weathering away of sediment from land, removal of beach dune by the action of wave, tide and tidal currents. In the beaches along the coast of Balochistan and Sindh where there is no population and hence no artificial structures, the natural phenomenon of erosion and accretion is on a seasonal basis and on average there is no loss or gain of land and these can be termed as stable beaches that regain the lost material in the next season. The anthropogenic changes have occurred at the coastal towns marked in Figure 3. These changes in the coastal configuration are causing severe erosion and costing the coastal communities heavy losses to the property.

Sindh

Gadani Sonmiani Ormara Pasni Gwadar Jiwani

Intensity of Erosion Moderate Severe Low Severe Moderate Severe

Karachi Thatta Sujawal Badin

Low Moderate Moderate Severe

Location

In Sindh, while there has been considerable coastal development, the coastal erosion in the districts of Thatta and Sujawal is mostly moderate; however, some areas are subject to severe erosion. Whereas, in the Badin district, severe erosion has been induced by the construction of the Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD). In Balochistan’s Gaddani and Gwadar areas erosion is moderate while some places like Sonmiani, Pasni and Jiwani are facing severe erosion. The erosion at Ormara is at a low level.

2.1.2

Sub National Level: Areas and Severity

2.1.2.1 Status of Erosion, Areas and Severity along Balochistan Coast

Figure 4 - Location of raised platforms along the coast of Balochistan and Karachi. Circled areas face severe erosion in Balochistan

The coastline of Balochistan that consists of raised terraces (mountains), alluvial plains and low line areas faces low to severe erosion. The high wave energy acting continuously in the area erodes the areas to facilitate seawater inundation. Figure 4 clearly indicates the areas of raised terraces and low lying depressions that are under the threat of erosion. The graphical representation as given in Figure 4 is summarised in table 3.

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Table 3: Types of Beaches along the Balochistan Coast with Intensity of Erosion District

Lasbella

Gwadar

Location

Type of Coast

Erosion Intensity

Hub Gadani Sonmiani Miani Hor Damb Ras Malan

Estuarine Raised and flat Raised Lagoon Sand dune Raised

Medium Medium Medium Medium Very Severe Low

Ormara Ras Shaheed Ras Jaddi Ras Zarin Pasni Shadi Kor Kalmat Khor Gwadar East Bay Gwadar Headland Gwadar West Bay Pishukan Jiwani

Raised Raised Raised Raised Raised and Estuarine Lagoon Raised and Raised Raised and Raised and Raised and

Low Severe Medium Medium Severe Very Severe Medium Medium Medium Medium Low Very Severe

flat

flat flat flat flat

The types of coast along Balochistan are clearly depicted in Figures 5 and 6 below.

Figure 5 - Selected high raised terraces along Balochistan coast. Left: Rocky outcrops at Gaddani Right: The Gwadar headland

15

Figure 6 - Flat beach at Gaddani, suitable for beaching the ship for recycling

community. Although the fish harbour could not be completed due to erosion around the village and accretion within the harbour basin, the abandoned structure is still causing a severe loss of sediments from the populated area of Damb village. Erosion at Pasni and its Vicinity (Shadi Khor)

Erosion at Hub Estuary and its Vicinity

At the mouth of the Hub River at Kund, an electricity generating power house (HUBCO) was developed in the early 90s. The coolant water is being discharged within the river near its mouth which has been eroding the sand from the mouth of the river removing the natural barriers. In the Gaddani coastal area, a ship-breaking industry has been in existence, beaching various types and sizes of ships perpendicular to the coast (Figure 6). The beaching of s ship hinders the sediment transport and causes erosion to the area for as long as the ship is being dismantled. Erosion at Gadani and its Vicinity

As a result of the development of a fish harbour at Gadani, the water circulation dynamics have changed causing a subsequent change in the beach behaviour - from a stabilised to an eroding beach. The erosion in the area is so severe that seawater frequently inundates the coastal community settlements causing losses to property. Erosion at Damb and its Vicinity in Miani Hor Lagoon

Damb is located on the bank of Miani Hor lagoon where a fish harbour was constructed. The construction has resulted in massive erosion causing huge losses to the property of the fishing

As a consequence of development activities, coastal erosion has taken place at Pasni where a fish harbour was constructed in 1988 that resulted in an obstruction to the longshore current. The stoppage of sediment movement towards Shadi Khor has caused erosion in Pasni near Shadi Khor and seawater frequently floods Pasni town. Erosion at Gwadar and its Vicinity

Erosion to the east and west of the Gwadar headland has been evident due to the unplanned construction of a fish harbour at Pishukan that is creating hindrance in the sediment movement towards Gwadar’s east bay, causing deficiency of sediment. The main road along the east bay coast is being eroded at many places along the coast, and is in need of continuous repair. Erosion at Jiwani and its Vicinity

The situation of an unplanned construction in the coastal area of Jiwani is not any different from the other coastal areas in Pakistan. The construction of the breakwater to provide protection to the fishing boats to land their catch at Jiwani without considering the hydrodynamics of circulation of seawater in detail is causing massive erosion in the eastern part of Jiwani town. The breakwater that was constructed to provide a sheltered area has in fact created refracted waves from the breakwater wall. The pictorial presentation of the erosion at different locations in Balochistan coastal zone is given in Figures 7 and 8.

16

Figure 7 - Erosion at Gwadar East Bay as a result of human changes in the area

Figure 8 - Constructed breakwater wall at Jiwani and resultant erosion along the coast

2.1.2.2 Status of Erosion, Areas and Severity along Sindh Coast

The hotspots where erosion activity is taking place are listed as follows

Table 4: Types of Beaches along the Balochistan Coast with Intensity of Erosion Location

Type of Coast

Erosion Intensity

Phitti Creek Gizri Creek DHA Phase VIII Clifton Hawksbay Ras Muari

Creek and mudflat Creek and mudflat Creek and plain area Beach Raised Raised

Medium Medium Medium Low Medium Low

Mirpursakro Ghorabari Keti Bundar Kharo Chann

Creek and mudflat Creek and mudflat Estuarine mudflat Estuarine mudflat

Medium Medium Medium Severe

Sujjawal

Jati Shah Bundar

Creek and mudflat Creek and mudflat

Severe Severe

Badin

Shaheed Fazil Rahu Badin

Creek and mudflat Creek and mudflat

Severe Severe

District

Karachi

Thatta

17 Erosion at Karachi and its Vicinity

The coast of Karachi continues to change its face with the rapid increase in population. Areas that were in the low-lying intertidal zone 20 years ago have now been turned into expensive residential areas by the DHA. Hence, Gizri Creek and Korangi Creek have both been narrowed down after reclamation for real estate development purposes. Even the area which faced the open sea has now been encroached upon by the construction of dykes for reclaiming the land. Since this development is relatively new, no significant erosion has been witnessed, but there are areas that are facing erosion problems. The Bundal Island of the Karachi coast has been subject to severe erosion and the displaced sediments move towards Korangi creek channel to fill it up. Before the initiation of the Karachi Container Terminal Port there was severe erosion along the coast off Shireen Jinah Colony. Erosion

to the west of the Karachi harbour at Kakapir has also been observed. Erosion at Indus Delta and its Vicinity

Large amounts of sediments were brought down from the Himalayas by the Indus River in Sindh since geological times and deposited along the lower stretches to form one of the biggest deltas in the world. The Indus Delta has now been reduced due to upstream engineering works. Damming of the water upstream has reduced river discharge and owing to ingress of high energy waves, erosion activities are amplified manifold resulting in seawater inundation during storm surges or cyclonic activities in the area. The erosion in the delta is so massive that in some places, local communities either have had to migrate from the area or take some mitigation measures. The localities that are facing erosion in the Indus Delta are Shah Bundar, Jati, Kharo

Figure 9 - Comparison of charts of 1930 and 2010 by M/S Louis Berger Group Inc (Left) and by WWF-Pakistan (Right) depicting the inundation of seawater in upland delta

Figure 10 - Erosion at Keti Bundar and Kharo Chaan Thatta

18 Chann in District Sujjawal and Keti Bundar, Ghorabari in District Thatta. Massive levels of erosion are also taking place in District Badin as a result of Tidal Link Drain linking the LBOD with Indus Delta Creek for draining the water. The comparison of old charts as shown in Figure 9 with present situation in the delta was made by M/S Louis Berger Group Inc and Indus Associated Consultants Ltd, whereas, a comparative study over 54 years, conducted by WWF-Pakistan, explains the erosional activity with seawater inundation that has taken place. Erosion at different locations in the Indus is shown in Figure 10.

2.2 Factors Influencing Coastal Erosion: Assessment

low seismic velocities and high pore fluid pressures. Such sediments have the potential to fail and cause large underwater tsunami genic slides. The generation of tsunamic waves in the past (1945) have created 5 - 8 m high waves along the coast from Pasni to the Indus Delta causing flooding of populated areas and while receding, they eroded huge sediments from flooded areas. In future, there is a potential threat of tsunamic wave generation due to tectonic activities in the coastal belt. Very recently, due to earthquake activities, there was an eruption of gas in the shallow water off the Balochistan coast, specifically off Gwadar, that developed a small island. The appearance of the island was caused by tsunamic waves but due to the low water level, it could not be noticed. The present tidal channels and creeks of the Indus Delta are representative of the old Indus River channels. The Indus Delta has shifted gradually eastward over time. The tectonic activities in the region have played a major role in the shifting of the river courses. During the shifting of the Indus river course, from west to

The unique geography of the coast of Pakistan makes it vulnerable to natural and human hazards. The natural hazards that influence erosion include geological hazards (earthquakes) that create coastal erosion and climate-related hazards, i.e. heavy rainfall upstream of the Indus River flooding the delta, Figure 11 - Location of earthquake epicenters and tectonic activities sea level rise and changes along the coastal belt of Pakistan shown by circles on the map in monsoon pattern, etc. Whereas, human influenced factors that cause erosion include the development works along the coast or in the river system.

2.2.1

Physical Factors

Erosion due to Tectonic Activities

The tectonic activity in the vicinity of the coastal zone of Pakistan is well documented due to frequent movement of the tectonic plates in the area (Figure 11). The Balochistan coast has one of the largest accretionary wedges on earth that have

19

Figure 12 - Time series imagery of Ras Shaheed showing erosion of softer rocks in 2003 (left) 2006 (center) and 2012 (right)

east, the coastline geomorphology and hydrodynamics also changed dramatically resulting in the development and modification of the existing coastal features. Erosion due to Wind, Tide, Waves and Cyclonic Activities

Waves that are generated by storms or wind are one of the main causes of coastal erosion that instigate long-term losses of sediment from the area. The erosion of sediments as a consequence of waves during cyclonic movement usually results in permanent loss of sediment to the sea. The normal wave action along the coast of Pakistan during the summer monsoon has been considered one of the major causes of erosion because these waves create abrasion. Abrasion commonly happens in areas where there are strong winds, loose sand, and soft rocks. The blowing of millions of sharp sand grains creates sandblasting effects. This effect helps to erode, smooth and polish rocks. The summer waves along the coast of Pakistan are 2.5 m high with a 6 sec period.

Return Period 1 year 5 years 10 years 100 years

Wave Height 3.93 m 4.11 m 4.23 m 4.33 m

On the coast of Balochistan, rock formations provide varying resistance to erosion, whereas, softer areas erode much faster than those with hard rocks, which typically result in the formation of landforms. Ras Shaheed near Gwadar East Bay is the area which is continuously being eroded due to wave energy reaching the coast from the deep sea. In Figure 12 the time series satellite pictures of Ras Shaheed depict the erosion of hard and soft rocks due to wave activity.

Wave-generated currents produced during the summer monsoon season along the coast of Pakistan tend to dominate water movements in the near-shore zone of the Indus Delta and facilitate the movement of sediments. As a consequence of reduced river flow from the Indus, sediments are taken from the banks of creeks with high wave energy and transported either out of the delta into the deep water creating the Indus fan, or deposited at economically important sites like navigational channels causing siltation.

The tides, which are generated by the gravitational attraction of the sun and the moon, also play an active role in coastal erosion along Pakistan’s coast. The water level variation due to rising and receding tides creates movement in seawater that causes erosion in the coastal area. The maximum tidal height along the coast of Balochistan is 2.9 m at the equinoxial tide (ranging between 0.60 m and 2.97 m). The tides are mixed semi diurnal with a strong diurnal component. The mean tidal levels as already established and published for Karachi are given in Figure 13. The tidal variation along the Balochistan coast causes strong tidal currents in the intertidal zones. The erosion effect as a result of tidal current is more prominent at Damb Lasbela. The tidal levels along the Sindh coast are on the higher side due to shallow water effect.

The return period (time for a particular wave height to repeat itself) is given as under;

The area on the left bank of the River Indus has a higher tidal level than the levels in other coastal

20

Figure 13 - Mean Tidal Levels at different locations mentioned through arrows along the Pakistan coast

areas of Pakistan. The tidal level in the Badin Creek is 5 m. The strong tidal movements along the coast of Sindh have already eroded many coastal settlements in the deltaic zone. The tropical cyclones that affect the Pakistan coastal areas develop preferentially over the southern quadrant of the Arabian Sea and move in a west to northwest direction towards Arabia. However, sometimes they re-curve to the north or northeast towards northwestern India and Pakistan (Figure 14). About one storm in three passes over the western part of the Arabian Sea and strikes the coast of the Arabian Peninsula. In the past hundred years there were twelve severe cyclonic storms that formed in the month of October, four in April, three in September and two in December. No severe cyclonic storm has been reported in the months of January, February and March. The average annual number of severe cyclonic storms is about 0.68 while the annual number of severe cyclonic storms is about 69 amounting to about 31% of the annual number of cyclonic disturbances. Most of the tropical cyclones that formed over the Arabian Sea

Figure 14 - Tracks of cyclones that landed on the coastline of Pakistan or its vicinity and caused losses to property and lives

21

Figure 15 - One of the abandoned ruined shrimp farms in Ghorabari Thatta (Left) and reconstruction of fish landing facility at Shah Bundar after the destruction by cyclone

land at the coastal areas of Pakistan inundating coastal areas in the Indus Delta and causing erosion in the Thatta and Badin districts. Cyclone 2A occurring in May 1999 was the severest cyclone that caused huge losses to the property and lives of the coastal communities of Thatta and Badin districts (Figure 15). Thus, owing to its particular configuration the coastline of Pakistan is also vulnerable to cyclone related erosion.

Figure 16 - Satellite imagery showing the flooded areas in Sindh that created erosion in the deltaic area through LBOD system

Erosion due to Floods, Rainfall and Freshwater Flows

Floods in the Indus River and linked canals create random deposition of silt. Historically the delta has experienced repeated floods which have destroyed cities, taken toll of human lives and damaged crops, cattle, etc. In order to mitigate the flood hazards, the Government of Pakistan has built embankments on both sides of the Indus River. However, during the peak flood season (August, September) which coincides with the SW monsoon season, all the control gates of the canal/drainage system in the deltaic areas are kept open, for free flow of the flood waters. The runoff due to rainfall increases the suspended material in the creeks. As such, the mixing of tide and freshwater creates bathymetric and topographic changes from siltation and erosion.

2.2.2

Human Factors

Erosion due to Damming of River

A reduction of freshwater downstream of Kotri has brought about changes in the characteristics

Figure 17 - Time series plot of freshwater and sediment discharge downstream of Kotri depicting the reduction due to upstream damming (Inam et al, 2007)

of the Indus Delta from fluvial-dominated to wave-dominated estuaries. Instead of freshwater flowing out in the seaward direction, seawater

22 surges inland giving rise to Figure 19 - Sea encroachment hindering sediment movement along the coast and eroding intertidal zone of Clifton beach (2005) tidal creeks by eroding the agricultural land. As a result of reduced river discharge and sediment load (Figure 17) due to damming of the river for agriculture and other usage and ingress of high energy waves, erosion activities are amplified manifold resulting in seawater inundation during storm surges or cyclonic activities in the area. Historically, many storm surges have taken place that have damaged the property and Erosion due to Development Work in the Coastal inflicted heavy losses to the economy of the Zone already poverty stricken communities. A major development work, the Waterfront Development Project, was undertaken in the Erosion due to LBOD System Karachi coastal area by the Defence Housing The recently built Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD) Authority (DHA). In this project, the DHA intruded system has become a source of erosion and 300 m seaward into deep water and about 7 km seawater intrusion far inland, particularly the Tidal along Clifton beach as shown in Figure 19. The Link (the channel joining Left Bank Outfall reclamation hindered the littoral transport along Drainage with sea). It has caused devastating the coast and deposition of sediment during the effects on the surrounding environment and badly summer monsoon. Consequently, Clifton beach disrupted the ecosystem of the area with loss of has turned into a dangerous beach due to infrastructure due to erosion which can be seen erosion of the intertidal zone, causing human in Figure 17. The system has also badly damaged casualties every year. local agriculture due to the backflow of hyper saline water in the drains and in the agricultural land causing its subsequent erosion. Figure 18 - The erosion of Tidal Link Drain banks around tidal observatory

23

Figure 20 - Erosion at Damb caused by the development of the fish jetty

Erosion due to Construction of Jetties without Traditional Ecological Knowledge

Due to the construction of a fish harbour at Damb, erosion of the area has started causing huge losses to the property of the poor fishing community (Figure 20). Tidal currents generated because of the unplanned construction of the harbour have resulted in massive erosion from a nearby populated area of 0.32 km2 (Figure 21) at Damb – which itself has been eroding during the last six years, causing huge loss of property. Pasni Fish Harbour was constructed in 1988 with two breakwater walls to protect the harbour basin from high energy waves. However, the construction of the harbour impeded the sediment movement downward creating accretion

on the west of the harbour and erosion of 1.5 km2 areas on the eastern side of the harbour (Figure 22). The erosion was so severe that in the late 90s, due to a storm surge, Pasni town was inundated by seawater from the eroded land resulting in heavy damage to property. A fish harbour and a deep water cargo port have also been constructed at Gwadar East Bay. Although Gwadar has been naturally protected from the high energy waves by the tombolo, the area east to the fish harbour is facing erosion as a result of refraction of waves from the tombolo and as a consequence of development work in the deep water port. In addition, the construction of a fish harbour at Pishukan has exacerbated the

24

Figure 21 - Extent of erosion at Damb due to development of the fish jetty

Figure 22 - The harbour at Pasni created hindrance in sediment movement that eroded downward area

25

Figure 23 - Erosion at the Gwadar East Bay due to human changes

erosion at Gwadar. The severity of erosion is depicted in Figures 23 and 24. The construction of a fish harbour at Jiwani was started near the town with the provision of a breakwater wall for providing safe berthing facilities. The construction of an unplanned

(without any backing of scientific study for the suitability of location and design) protection wall resulted in damaging sediment movement and refraction currents. As a result of this, sediment accretion started on both sides of the protection wall and erosion at the eastern side of Jiwani town took place resulting in heavy loss of

Figure 24 - Erosion of coastal road along Gwadar West Bay due to the construction of a fish harbour at Pishukan

26

Figure 25 - Sequential maps showing erosion due to the development of a breakwater wall for Jiwani Fish Harbour

27

Figure 26 - Massive erosion due to construction of breakwater wall at Jiwani

Figure 27 - Comparison of erosion and accretion areas along the coast of Jiwani

property in the area. The erosional process is shown in Figures 25 - 27 of satellite imagery as a time series.

2.3 Focus on Sea-Level Rise (SLR) – Highlight Climate Change/SLR on Coastal Erosion 2.3.1

Observed Trends in Coastal Erosion

Pakistan is one of the countries most vulnerable to the impact of a rising sea level. The long-term tidal level data as shown in Figure 28 indicates the increasing pattern in sea level of 1.1mm/year at the Karachi Harbour (Khan et al). At present

Figure 28 - Yearly variation of Mean Sea Level recorded at Karachi Tidal Observatory is plotted as time series plot and regression line showing the observed trend of sea level rise

28

Figure 29 - Comparison of shoreline profiles taken in two different periods showing the landward retreat of shoreline

there is no observatory in Pakistan mandated to observe and record the coastal erosion on a longterm basis. Different studies conducted by scientists suggest that the shoreline in the Indus Delta has moved inland since 1978 as shown in Figure 29.

Figure 30 - The chart of Indus Delta showing the land gradient with 5 ft contour. (Source: WAPDA)

2.3.2 Projected Erosion Trends from Climate Change Assessment It is believed that if the present trend of sea level rise (SLR) along the Pakistan coast continues for the next 50 years, the sea level will rise 50 mm (5 cm) from the present level. If such sea level rise is experienced in the next fifty years due to a very small gradient in the Indus Delta as shown in Figure 30, seawater will frequently inundate the upland areas causing massive erosion as shown in Figure 31.

Figure 31 - Based on the present trend of SLR the sea water inundation and area under erosion (Competitive Support Fund 2011)

On the Balochistan coast, the areas that are known as alluvial plain and estuarine mouth are most vulnerable to the present trends of SLR. The

most probable threatened areas are shown in Figure 32, marked as circled areas. The local communities that were settled along the coast based on their Traditional Ecological

29

Figure 29 - Comparison of shoreline profiles taken in two different periods showing the landward retreat of shoreline

Knowledge (TEK) have been forced to move their settlements back to safer places. The settlements that have moved back or are still resisting the seawater inundation are listed below: l

l

Ahmed Raju, Zero Point in Badin, Jati, Shah Bundar, Kharo Chann in Sujjawal, Sajjan Wari, Jangi Sar, Keti Bundar, Ghorabari in Thatta along the Sindh province; Khalifa Point, Gaddani, Damb in Lasbella, Pasni, and Jiwani in Gwadar along the Balochistan province

2.3.3 Coastal Erosion in Coastal Risk Management Pakistan has been rated as ‘at extreme risk’ by a Climate Change Vulnerability Index, published by Maplecroft in 2010. The index has placed Pakistan at 16th in the ranking of most vulnerable countries of the world over the time horizon of the next 30 years. This index classifies the majority of the land area of Pakistan to be at extreme to high risk and other areas mostly in the medium risk category. However, the Global Climate Risk Index developed by German Watch 2014 has placed

Pakistan at No. 3 in 2012 and termed it as a warning sign of being at risk either from frequent events or rare, but extraordinary catastrophes. The report of the Planning Commission’s Task Force on Climate Change (TFCC, 2010) and subsequently National Climate Change Policy 2012 has identified the following most important climate change threats to Pakistan: l Increased upstream intrusion of saline water in the Indus Delta, adversely affecting coastal agriculture, mangroves and breeding grounds of fish; and l Threat to coastal areas including the city of Karachi due to sea level rise and increased cyclonic activity due to higher sea surface temperatures. It is an urgent requirement for the coastal areas of Pakistan to begin the process of adapting to sea level rise not because there is an impending catastrophe, but because there are opportunities to avoid adverse impacts by acting now— opportunities that may be lost if the process is delayed. This is also consistent with good coastal

30 zone management practice irrespective of whether climate change occurs or not.

2.4 Chapter Summary: Assessment of Issue on Coastal Erosion Shoreline changes occur due to natural forces that act on the shoreline and its response to the conditions driven by meteorological ocean conditions of wind, waves, tides and currents. In

Pakistan, erosion is a natural phenomenon as the coast changes its position from season to season. However, due to human interventions, coastal erosion in populated areas has been happening. The main hotspots are Ahmed Raju, Zero Point in Badin, Jati, Shah Bundar, Kharo Chann in Sujjawal, Sajjan Wari, Jangi Sar, Keti Bundar, Ghorabari in Indus Delta, Damb, Pasni, Gwadar and Jiwani in Balochistan that require immediate attention.

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3

3.1

POLICIES AND LEGAL/INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS DEALING WITH COASTAL EROSION Introduction

The use of coastal areas in Pakistan is diversified due to the comprehensive coastal typology. The most important functions of the coastal land and waters are harbours, industry and tourism. Therefore the responsibility for the protection of such areas is on all the permanent users, but mainly on the government agencies that manage and steer the usage of the coastal areas. Additionally, there are relevant policies and practices of non-coastal sectors, including the private sector that can exacerbate coastal erosion. The erosion of coastal areas of Sindh including the Indus Delta has occurred due to a loss of freshwater / estuarine ecosystem and over exploitation. The main cause of erosion from non-coastal actors is intrusion of seawater from the tidal link of LBOD system developed to drain saline and water logged agricultural lands of Sindh. In this section, a review of polices with respect to erosion is carried out to see the importance being given to the coastal areas.

3.2

Past Policies and Legal/Institutional Mechanisms

In Pakistan, the use of the coast for berthing the ships/boats continues without any consolidated mechanism. The Karachi Harbour is the only institution which has been using the coast for the last 125 years and engaging in port related development. In the recent past, the Port Qasim Authority (PQA) has also been amongst the institutions using coastal areas. In addition, the DHA has been undertaking reclamation work around its Phase VIII without considering the consequences on the coastal morphology and possible adverse impacts on the sensitive ecology of the area. The detailed polices and relevant institutions are given in Table 5.

32

Table 5: Past Policies and Institutions Involved in Coastal Management Federal l

l l

l

l

l

l

l

l

Territorial Waters & Maritime Zone Act 1976 Statutory Notification of 29 August 1996 (Specifying the Baseline, the Contiguous Zone, the Continental Shelf and the EEZ of Pakistan) Pakistan Environmental Protection Act 1997 KPT (Amendment) Ordinance 2000 Exclusive Fishery Zone Act 1975 P Q Authority Act 1973 National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) Act 2005 Pakistan Territorial Water and Maritime Zone Network Pakistan Maritime Security Agency

Provincial ➢ Balochistan Province l

l

l

l

l

l l

l

➢

l

l

l

l

l

l

Balochistan Coastal Development Authority Act 1998 Balochistan Sea Fisheries Ordinance 1971 Pasni Fish Harbour Authority Ordinance Balochistan Environmental Protection Act 2012 Gwadar Development Authority Act 2003 (covers large coastal areas from Sur Bandar), Gwadar East & West Bays and Gwadar Master Plan (Area up to Pishukan under GDA Regulations 2004) Balochistan Forest Regulation 1890 Balochistan Wildlife Act 1974 Sindh Province Coastal Development Authority Act 1994 Sindh CDA is mandated for coastal development of districts Thatta and Badin Sindh Sea Fisheries Ordinance 1980 Karachi Fish Harbour Authority Ordinance 1984 Sindh Forest Act 1970 Sindh Wildlife Act

Local Agencies l

l

l

Karachi Development Authority (CDGK) Lyari Development Authority (LDA) Zulfikarabad Development Authority (ZDA)

Private Organizations/NGOs l

l

l

Bahria Development Area IUCN WWF

The private organizations/NGOs perform the function of coastal development and management including coastal erosion within their jurisdiction by providing; l

l

l

Shore Protection Breakwater Mangroves Plantations

33

3.2.1 Assessment/Discussion on Highlights including Identification of Conflicting Policies/Mechanisms

Figure 33 - Impact of dredging for reclamation was removal of buffer between coast and wave

There are a number of agencies which are engaged in the development of coastal infrastructure. These include district governments, fishing communities and provincial and federal authorities. However, none of them have ever considered the impacts of coastal erosion as a result of their development activities. The impact of their No Action policy can be viewed from the fact that in the mid1990s, the KPT planned to reclaim the area near Shireen Jinnah Colony for real estate purpose and sediments were used to dredge in the intertidal zone off the area adjacent to the National Institute of Oceanography as shown in Figure 33. The area was reclaimed successfully at that time but the following year, as a result of deepening of the intertidal zone, waves with high energy started attacking the shore protection wall and inundation of seawater occurred frequently causing damage to the newly built coastal road as shown in Figures 34 and 35. No mitigation measures were taken by the KPT; neither was any claim filed by municipal authorities for the erosion of the road.

Figure 34 - Reclamation work

On the other hand, the Port Qasim Authority (PQA) has been dredging its approach channel since 1970s to keep the navigational channel open for ship movement. There is no legal policy to protect the nearby areas from erosion as a consequence of the maintenance of this channel. Bundal and other small islands are being eroded due to the absence of any protection mechanism devised for this ongoing activity. The DHA also not only started reclaiming the area of Phase VIII allotted to them for real estate purposes, but they also intruded into the intertidal zone of Clifton

Figure 35 - Severe loss of land and damage to the road in the vicinity of reclaimed area

34 beach for Water Front Development. All this clearly indicates that there is no institution, authority or legislation to check on activities that are fraught with risk of coastal erosion. Even in Thatta and Badin districts the LBOD system caused huge losses to the lower Indus deltaic agricultural land and inland fishing industry because of a loss of fresh water resources to the sea. The situation in Balochistan is more serious due to the lack of resources. The ship re-cycling industry has been active for a long time now, and has been blocking longshore movement of seawater and sediment that increases erosion. Similarly, different government departments, such as GDA, BCDA and Fisheries Department are either constructing or have constructed fishing jetties. Scant attention has been given to scientific knowledge required for these types of development activities resulting in erosion of costly community land.

3.3 Present Policies and Legal/Institutional Mechanisms At the moment there is no stand-alone policy to deal with issues exclusively pertaining to coastal erosion. However, at present there are three

authorities which are dealing with Coastal Zone Management: Balochistan Coastal Development Authority established in 1998, Sindh Coastal Development Authority established in 1992 for the coastal area of Sindh excluding Karachi; and Karachi Development Authority. Almost all coastal areas of Pakistan are governed and managed by these authorities but none of them is dealing with the erosion control issues in their respective jurisdiction. After the December 2004 tsunami in Indonesia and the 2005 earthquake in Kashmir, the Government of Pakistan established disaster management systems at the federal, provincial and district levels. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is the focal agency for coordinating and facilitating the implementation of strategies and programmes on disaster risk reduction, response and recovery. However, at present it is not dealing with the activities that exacerbate coastal erosion. The entire responsibility is left to the provincial departments in general and land departments of cities in particular. There are provincial and federal laws and regulations governing coastal development and related infrastructures but none of them directly address issues of coastal erosion. Such laws and institutions are listed in Table 6:

Table 6: Provincial and Federal Laws Governing Coastal Development #

Laws and Regulations

Federal Laws National Calamities (Prevention and Relief Act) 1958 1 Emergency Services Ordinance 2002 2 Territorial Waters and Maritime Zones Act, 1976 3 Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997 4 Provincial Laws Coastal Development Authority Act of Sindh, 1994 1 Coastal Development Authority Act of Balochistan, 1998 2 Karachi Building Control Authority Act of 2002 3 Karachi Fisheries Harbour Authority Ordinance, 1984 4 Korangi Fisheries Harbour Authority Ordinance, 1984 5 The Sindh Fisheries (Amendment Act 1976) 6 Balochistan Sea Fisheries Ordinance, 1971 7 Forest (Amendment) Ordinance, 2001 Forest Act (Sindh Amendment) Act, 1994 8 Balochistan Forest Regulation (Amendment) Act, 1974 9

35

3.3.1 Assessment with Discussion on Highlights including Identification of Conflicting Policies/Mechanisms

3.4 Planned/Future Policies and Legal/Institutional Mechanisms

Due to the lack of knowledge and awareness of ocean forces, most coastal agencies start development activities in the coastal zone risking not only their own project but also the nearby areas that are left at the mercy of the erosion and accretion problem. While a brief review of all the above is done, none of these statutes or legislations are able to serve the desired purpose. There are several federal and provincial laws related to coastal areas and coastal resources; however, provisions related coastal erosion are missing in these laws.

3.4.1

A comprehensive study of environmental laws also reveals that all of these cannot serve the purpose in their present form. Sindh Building Control Authority regulates the beach development and issues the guidelines in Article 32, but it is silent on erosion as a result of development in the coastal area. No provision exists in the Sindh Coastal Development Authority Act, 1994 or (Amendment) Act, 2006 as far as coastal erosion or its mitigation or control is concerned. There is no conflict with the policies for coastal zone management in Balochistan and Sindh because of clear demarcation between the two provinces. However, due to a lack of coordination, the conflicting mandates pursued by different agencies may have an impact on each other’s jurisdiction. For example, the coastal land and waters of Karachi city fall under the jurisdiction of different agencies, the KDA, Cantonments and DHA, etc. It is therefore imperative that before embarking on a coastal area development work, a No Objection Certificate (NOC) be issued, after conducting prior impact assessment studies of sediment transport, by the relevant civic authorities/Provincial Environmental Protection Agencies (EPA) so that well-informed decisions could be taken to adapt mitigation measures that prevent damage to coastal infrastructure, communities and ecology.

Agencies

There are many government and non-government agencies including private organisations that have either planned or are in the process of planning the required policies as indicated in Table 7.

3.4.2 Assessment with Discussion on Objectives to be Achieved A detailed review of the policies being finalised has revealed that there is no coordinated policy to address the erosion problem in the two provinces and at the national level. The National Maritime policy is proposed to include the erosion problem in the future while the National Maritime strategy will cover all matters related to maritime development and maritime research. Therefore coastal zone management will be its main goal.

3.5

Chapter Summary

In the past there was no policy for combating erosion and for taking mitigation measures because erosion was not considered a threatening problem for the structures and settlements of the coastal communities and ecology. The stakeholders were not bothered about the impact of their structures such as ports, berthing facilities, piers and breakwaters being built in nearby areas. Also, at present there is no standalone policy to deal with issues pertaining to coastal erosion, although there is now greater awareness of the concept of erosion and its detrimental impacts. At present there are three main authorities who are dealing with coastal zone management: Balochistan Coastal Development Authority established in 1998 for the coastal area of Balochistan excluding Gwadar and industrial development estates, Sindh Coastal Development Authority established in 1992 for the coastal area of Sindh excluding Karachi and Karachi Development Authority responsible for development within Karachi Districts. After the December 2004 tsunami in Indonesia and the

36

Table 7: Institutions involved in Coastal Development and Management #

Agency/Institution

Plans

National Maritime Policy 2002 being revised which shall be ready for approval by competent forum in 2014. 1

Pakistan Navy

2

Climate Change Division

National Climate Change Policy 2012

3

BCDA

Has planned to relocate or redesign the existing fish harbours that were planned for Damb, Gaddani and Jiwani

4

SCDA

Has prepared a 20-year perspective plan for the coastal areas of Thatta and Badin in which special attention is paid to the erosion activities within the area. They are in the process of obtaining control/authority for any legal action that may be taken against projects that could potentially cause erosion in the coastal zones.

5

Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority

Is redesigning the LBOD system so that devastation caused by LBOD could be stopped and managed properly.

6

Sindh Fisheries Department

Has constructed nine floating jetties in the Sindh creek area

7

8

Pasni Fish Harbour Authority

Government of Balochistan

National Maritime Strategy with inputs from stakeholders is being finalised. It covers more detailed approach/targets, i.e. CZM, marine research, shipping, coastal development infrastructure including climate change

Pasni Fish Harbour Authority has a plan to improve the functioning of Pasni Fish Harbour which involves extension of the breakwater and removal of silted matter from the harbour basin. The project does not cater for the massive erosion that has taken place in the Shadi Khor and adjacent area because of the construction of Pasni Harbour. The Government of Balochistan with assistance from the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) plans to establish a few jetties along the Balochistan coast; however, the location for these jetties has not been finalised.

2005 earthquake in Kashmir, the Government of Pakistan established disaster management systems, at the federal, provincial and district levels, which may play a role if any erosion related disaster occurs, despite having no specific provision for it.

At various forums it is being voiced that for the future, a mechanism should be developed by government agencies and concerned authorities to address the issue of erosion by undertaking proper assessment studies of future development to regulate and mitigate erosion related negative impacts of such development activities.

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4 4.1

CURRENT AND PLANNED INTERVENTIONS Introduction

The coastal areas of Pakistan have been damaged either by the erosion of the coast or by the depositing of the sand arising from government supported development work. The more specific development work is the removal of sediment from approach channels to the port harbours in Karachi without taking into consideration specific guidelines on the management of coastal erosion. The unplanned reclamation work has also aggravated the situation especially at Clifton beach and adjacent areas. Apart from that, developments in the Indus Delta and associated creek system for oil, coal, LPG and general cargo jetties have threatened the area, especially the mangrove forest in it, which itself is considered a natural protection against coastal erosion. The deforestation of mangroves in the coastal areas has caused the delta to erode and shrink drastically.

4.2

Past Interventions and Development – Brief Survey

The upstream damming of the Indus River has drastically reduced the sediment load downstream of Kotri which has stopped the sediment enrichment process in the lower reaches of the River Indus. This has resulted in sea intrusion leading to the erosion of deltaic islands and creek beds. Further exacerbating the erosion in the Indus Delta, the construction of the LBOD system has not only contributed to the erosion process but has also led to seawater intrusion into the brackish water lakes of lower Sindh. The development of unplanned Water Front Development Project at Karachi and the construction of harbours for fish landing at Damb, Pasni, Gwadar, Pishukan and Jiwani have contributed to coastal erosion. This is because no proper hydraulic studies were either carried out for these projects or implemented in cases where such studies were carried out.

4.2.1 Lessons for Current and Planned/Future Interventions and Development at National, Sub-National, and Local Levels The development work in the coastal areas of Pakistan and its impact in terms of erosion of the coast has generated the following lessons that must be considered seriously prior to any planned or future interventions: l Human influence, particularly urbanisation and other related economic activities, in the coastal areas has turned coastal erosion into a problem of growing intensity.

38 l

Coastal erosion results from a combination of various factors – both natural and human induced development work undertaken without proper analysis. Uncertainties still remain about the interactions of the forcing agents, as well as about the significance of external causes of erosion. Past measures to manage coastal erosion have generally been designed from a local perspective. These measures have ignored the influence of non-local forcing agents and have disregarded the disruption of sediment transport processes within the larger coastal system. As a consequence, they have aggravated local coastal erosion problems, and have triggered new erosion problems in other places. They still influence the design of present measures. Multi-functional technical designs, i.e. those that fulfill social and economic functions in addition to coastal protection, are more easily accepted by the local population.

l

l

l

l l

4.3 Current Interventions and Development – Contribute (and Hinder) 4.3.1 National Level: Policy, CapacityBuilding, Knowledge, Community-Level The NDMA has the jurisdiction to lead the work of controlling disasters in the coastal areas of Pakistan and has prepared a ten-year plan with the provision to build a culture of safety and resilience at all levels utilising knowledge, innovation and education by; l Involving various organisations to implement the capacity building activities of stakeholder groups with proper coordination;

Table 8: List of Interventions along the Coast #

Intervention

Past Interventions 1. Historical/Archaeological Sites 2. Ports Development (Karachi and Port Qasim) 3. Oil and Coal Jetties/Terminals 4. Fish Harbours (Karachi, Jiwani, Gwadar, Pasni) 5. Clifton Beach/DHA Reclamation Work 6. Mangroves Plantations 7. Coastal Highway (Sindh and Balochistan) 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

There is a lack of coordination amongst various stakeholders involved in developmental activities in the coastal areas. The existing institutional mandates and policies of coastal agencies do not give adequate attention to coastal erosion processes and issues.

Naval Base KANUPP Nuclear Power Plant Beach Development Projects Left Bank Outfall Drainage (LBOD) Development of Water Breakers Dams and Barrages

Future/Planned Interventions 1. Gadani Coal Power Corridor (Power Park) 2. China Assisted Nuclear Power Projects 3. Oil and Gas Explorations (Off shore) 4. Island Developments 5. Development of New Coastal Cities (Zulfiqarabad) 6. New Dams Development

Impact (Positive/Negative) Not Known Negative Negative Negative Negative Positive Balochistan Positive and Sindh Negative Positive Negative Positive Negative Negative Negative

Not Known Not Known Negative Positive and Negative Not Known Negative

39 l l l

Emphasising on capacity building of main stakeholders’ groups; Developing a system of accumulation and sharing of research results and lessons learnt in the field of disaster management; and Functionalising the NDMA at a national level as a focal organisation for human resource development in the field of disaster management.

Similarly Pakistan Maritime Security, IUCN, MFF and WWF Pakistan are also active in implementing measures to reduce risks of disasters through the training of local communities.

4.3.2 Sub-National Level: Policy, Capacity-Building, Knowledge, Community-Level Provincial Disaster Management Authorities have also devised their action plans along the same lines as NDMA. The provincial DMAs have ensured the inclusion of disaster reduction with a strong gender balanced approach at all levels of education, effective public awareness and information campaigns. Also, media involvement in advocacy and dissemination, training of the communities at risk, and targeted research are the ingredients to support the knowledge base for effective disaster risk management.

4.3.3 Local Level: Policy, CapacityBuilding, Knowledge, Community-Level Under the SCDA project National Rural Support Programme, IUCN and district authorities have implemented several capacity building and awareness raising activities on disaster risks and natural resources management in the coastal districts of Sindh.

4.4 Planned/Future Interventions and Development Support 4.4.1 National Level: Policy, CapacityBuilding, Knowledge, Community-Level The national agencies and the private organisations that have strong stakes in the coastal areas have plans to develop the maritime

zone in an effective and economic manner to achieve the goals of their organisations. Presently, the following government and nongovernment organisations are stakeholders in maritime affairs; l Federal Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) l Federal Ministry of Environment (MOE) l IUCN-Pakistan l WWF-Pakistan l Marine Fisheries Department l Maritime Security Agency l Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (MinFAL) l Ministry of Ports and Shipping l National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) l NGOs l Pakistan Coast Guards l Pakistan Navy l Private Sector (e.g. Petroleum exploration, agro business and general trading sectors) l Zoological Survey Department (ZSD) The Climate Change Division, Government of Pakistan has developed Climate Change Action Plan 2013-2030 which entails actions to control erosion and other measures to mitigate disaster risks. Similarly, NDMA that has produced a policy document on Vision 2025 by preparing a management plan for educating the disaster managers, communities.

4.4.2 Sub-National Level: Policy, Capacity-Building, Knowledge, Community-Level SCDA has prepared a perspective plan for the coastal areas of Thatta and Badin districts with special attention to the mitigation measures required for stopping erosion activities within the area. SCDA has also planned to educate the coastal communities by organising them in CBOs and conducting seminars, training workshops at their localities with the assistance of NRSP (National Rural Support Programme). Similar activities are being conducted by the MFF Programme in Pakistan by programmes under its grant and capacity building initiatives. Local

40 Adaptation Plans of Actions (LAPAs) have also been envisioned by LEAD Pakistan (LP) for the coastal communities of Thatta by the development of crop calendars for five major crops based on shifting cultivation and harvest timings and training of farmers on new calendars, multiple cropping and distribution of seed on cost sharing basis. Similarly, WWF-Pakistan, under its 5 year Climate Change Adaptation Project (CCAP), has launched 2 union council level adaptation plans for Keti Bunder and Kharo Chan, district Thatta. These adaptation plans have been endorsed by the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of the district in February 2014. The activities/interventions mentioned in the adaptation plans emerge from WWF-Pakistan’s past enterprise audit reports and its 2012 delta-wide vulnerability assessment conducted under the same project, and from CCAP’s consultative capacity building trainings convened by LEAD Pakistan, as well as one-onone interviews with district, provincial and federal government officials. The proposed activities/interventions in the adaptation plans focus on; 1) changes in temperature; 2) changes in precipitation; 3) sea-level rise; 4) rise in sea

surface temperature; and, 5) awareness and capacity building.

4.4.3 Local Level: Policy, CapacityBuilding, Knowledge, Community-Level The under mentioned organisations have plans to carry out development at local level. However, the approaches adopted by them are nonparticipatory with minimal engagement of the local communities. l Gwadar Port Authority l Karachi Port Trust (KPT) l Port Qasim Authority (PQA)

4.5

Chapter Summary

This chapter discusses the interventions that have been adopted and shows that the exacerbation of the erosion in Indus Delta is due to the impact of certain ill-planned human interventions, such as, construction of the LBOD system. In addition, the development of unplanned Water Front Projects at Karachi and port facilities for fish landing at Damb, Pasni, Gwadar, Pishukan and Jiwani have also contributed to coastal erosion.

41

5 5.1

ASSESSMENT OF GAPS AND NEEDS Introduction:

At present the responsibility for planning of coastal protection schemes is usually located at a provincial level. There are many gaps in implementing the protection polices in the provinces. A few are listed below: l Coastal erosion is happening all along the coast of Pakistan but no efforts are taken to address this threat either at the national level or at the local level. l Institutional mechanisms are not properly and effectively utilised to address coastal erosion. More than a handful of agencies, as well as the local government like BCDA, SCDA, KDA, KMC, DHA, Clifton Cantonment, SIDA and district authorities are already involved in coastal and foreshore management. However, mandated programmes are either overlapping or conflicting, leading to slow implementation and, in truly extreme cases, inaction. l It is required that provincial EPA rules for EIA for coastal areas projects be revised. At present, current standards do not reflect the importance of highly variable nature of the coast. It is therefore, required to bring in coastal landforms and processes, which may vary from place to place across the entire coastline of Sindh and Balochistan. l Information such as historical erosion rates and potential trends due to climate-related exposure factors (e.g., sea-level rise) must also be considered when determining thresholds.

5.2

Policies, Legal and Institutional Arrangements

5.2.1 Assessment of Needs and Types of Arrangements Required to Address Coastal Erosion The natural beaches of Pakistan are falling victim to erosion as a result of haphazard development work in the coastal areas without taking into account hydrodynamic studies for ascertaining the sediment transport pattern in the area. However, like other coastal countries, Pakistan is also required to respond to erosion by using various means to control shoreline erosion. These means can be to include constructing hard erosion control devices such as seawalls, groins and jetties, and soft stabilisation of beaches using beach nourishment. All this will have to be conducted after due consideration of sediment transport pattern and soil bearing capacity of the area.

42 As for long-term initiatives, there is a need to draft a separate legislation to manage coastal erosion and mitigate its causes and effects; resolving ambiguous, overlapping, and conflicting policies, and designating an office to solely pursue coastal erosion concerns. Meanwhile, more immediate action may involve convergence meetings that should aim to initiate the delineation of roles and responsibilities of various entities involved in the development and management of the coastal zone and foreshore. These activities are intended to facilitate better coordination and complementary action among responsible agencies.

be tailored for local conditions based on the fact that the forces that derive the sediment transport mechanism are universal.

5.2.2 Actions Required at Sub-National Levels

5.4.1

The formulation of a Coastal Erosion Management Plan is significant in terms of adopting an integrated approach in coastal zone management. There is a need for professionals from various disciplines to work together towards the common objective of planning for sustainable development. The successful implementation of this policy, however, requires sincerity and commitment from all the concerned parties at the federal, state and local levels, including the participation of the local communities.

5.3

Building Capacities

5.3.1 Assessment of Needs and Types of Capacity Building Required to Address Coastal Erosion Considering the serious shortage of trained manpower in dealing with coastal erosion related issues, there is an immediate need to develop a programme to train personnel from coastal development authorities and other stakeholders in shore protection, erosion control and hydraulic modeling. The relevant authorities’ personnel should be properly informed about the practices of advanced countries for controlling the erosion of coastlines. The practices being applied in Europe and other developed countries to cope with erosion, although not directly applicable for Pakistan, can

5.3.2 Actions Required at Sub-National Levels At national/sub-national and local levels, it will be beneficial to build capacity of all relevant stakeholders, CBOs and local communities on basic assessment of coastal habitats, beach monitoring methods, mapping techniques and coastal erosion mitigation planning.

5.4

Knowledge and Education Database

The following institutions which are directly or indirectly involved in data assemblage and imparting basic knowledge in the fields are beneficial for the local coastal communities; l Academic and research institutions (Universities in coastal areas) l IUCN-Pakistan l WWF-Pakistan l Local communities l Maritime Security Agency l National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) l NGOs l Provincial Coastal Development Authorities (Sindh & Balochistan) l Provincial Fisheries Departments (Sindh & Balochistan) l Provincial Forest and Wildlife Departments (Sindh & Balochistan) l Private sector (e.g. Petroleum exploration, agro business and general trading sectors) l Tourism departments of Sindh and Balochistan It is required that they be brought under a coordinating body to streamline the efforts. All the universities like Lasbela University for Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences at Uthal, University of Karachi, University of Turbat (KECH), engineering universities in Karachi, as well as university campuses in Thatta and Badin districts established in the coastal cities and towns in Pakistan should be engaged in data collection

43

Table 9: Recommended Interventions and Estimated Costs S. No.

Interventions

1

Formulation of a coastal erosion management plan (details given in Table 13)

5

2

Awareness raising activities for all relevant stakeholders and local coastal communities for implementation of management plan. (Two provincial and one national level awareness activity)

3

3

Networking with universities to establish a comprehensive knowledge base. (Three universities: Karachi University, NED University and Lasbela University for Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences at Uthal.

2

Total PKR

and dissemination of information to combat the erosion issue with the technical assistance of the National Institute of Oceanography.

5.5

Finances

5.5.1 Financial Breakdown for Various Actions including Sub-National Levels Table 9 presents a preliminary financial breakdown to implement selected actions identified in this section. Particularly, these relate to resolving issues in current institutional mechanisms, building knowledge and capacity to address coastal erosion.

Cost in PKR (million)

10 million

5.6

Chapter Summary

The chapter identifies the gaps and needs to address the coastal erosion in the coastal zone of Pakistan. It discusses the gaps in three areas i.e. policy/institutional arrangements, capacity building and awareness raising and, knowledge and education. To address these gaps, it is recommended that a coastal erosion management plan be developed, capacity building of all relevant stakeholders and local communities be carried out and networking with academic institutions like universities be developed to establish a comprehensive knowledge base.

44

6

MENU OF RECOMMENDED PILOT INTERVENTIONS

6.1 Introduction: Identification of Hotspots and Types of Interventions A coastal zone is one of the most important national assets of a country where socio-economic activities are highly concentrated. The concentration of industries in the coastal zone makes it vulnerable to natural disasters. The importance of the coastal zone increases if it is in the deltaic environment. The deltaic morphology is fragile and is a function of numerous processes involved in the equilibrium and stabilization of the delta. Therefore, any action taken within the Indus Delta without proper investigation will produce negative impact on the stability of the delta. Similarly, other coastal areas along Makran are also to be properly investigated before developing any infrastructure that may hinder the sediment transport and erode the coastal area. The hotspots in the coastal zones which are vulnerable to erosion are discussed herein:

6.2

Identification of Locations of Hotspots

In the analysis of Assessment Report the sites identified as already eroded or under the threat of erosion are as follows: l Keti Bunder; l Coastal areas of Badin; l Damb; l Pasni, and; l Jiwani.

6.2.1 l

l

l

Basis of Selection: Priority

The erosion of Keti Bunder at Hajamiro Creek as a result of nonavailability of freshwater from Indus River has put the area under threat of erosion. Historically Keti Bunder used to be a port but due to man-made activities it is now confined only to fishing. If proper protection work is not adopted then the community living at the banks of Hajamiro Creek will be forced to migrate to some safer place. Badin is also important for protection from erosion as a result of LBOD system that has resulted in intrusion of seawater in agricultural lands and turned freshwater lakes into brackish water due to erosion of banks of the Tidal Link. Damb at Miani Hor is also threatened by severe erosion and therefore requires proper protection.

45

Table 10: Recommended Locations and Actions

l

S. No.

Location

Action Required

Basis of Selection

1

Keti Bundar

Flood protection wall

Settlement of sizeable community

2

Badin

Re-designing of Tidal Link drain

Saving the mega project

3

Damb

Re-designing of fish harbour and protection wall

Major fishing village

4

Pasni

Maintenance of fish harbour and sand bypassing

Protection of Pasni

5

Jiwani

Re-designing of wall

Protection of settlement

Pasni town has been under continuous seawater inundation attacks as a result of erosion that has happened due to the hindrance in sediment transport downward to Shadi Khor.

l

Jiwani town has also come under severe erosion due to an ill planned breakwater constructed for the proposed fish harbour at Jiwani.

Table 11: Recommended Interventions for Coastal Erosion Prevention Meso Interventions

Micro Interventions

One coordinating body at national level for strict implementation of coastal regulations

District level bodies to work in consultation with national authority

Awareness raising activities for communities

National and provincial policy regarding coastline management

Integrating coastal erosion concerns into district level disaster management plans

Coastal forests and mangrove plantation (suitable species)

Integrated Coastal Zone Management document should be notified and implemented at provincial level

Erosion management plan to be formulated

Development projects to address soil erosion concern

Macro Interventions

Formulation of Coastal Erosion Management Plan

Development of monitoring and enforcement mechanism Demonstration of pilot project addressing sea intrusion

Coastal development authorities should be strengthened. (Task forces to be established) Guidelines for erosion management be developed and incorporated in EIA and IEE of projects Formation and management of coastal protected areas network Transformation of authorities into departments Amendments in the act be made for dealing with coastal erosion

District level coastal erosion regulations be formulated Large scale mangrove plantations at Balochistan/ Sindh coast be ensured for effective coastal protection

46

6.2.2 Recommended List of Locations and Actions Some areas have been identified with recommended mitigation measures which can be adopted to ensure the safety of the local communities and their property. Details are given in Tables 10 and 11.

6.3 Recommended Pilot Interventions Through a consultative meeting with relevant stakeholders including representatives of local communities, the following interventions were discussed in detail and “Formulation of Coastal Erosion Management Plan” was prioritised and recommended as the pilot intervention to cope

with the erosion problems being faced by the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan.

6.3.1

Basis of Interventions

The interventions were suggested by a number of participants from government, civil society, academia, CBOs and local communities during a consultative workshop held for the development of this report. The recommended interventions are mainly based on the gaps and needs identified by different stakeholders.

6.4

Work Plan of Pilot Intervention

6.4.1

Budget (Sources & Means)

Funding for the implementation of proposed interventions will be requested and sourced from

Table 12: Work Plan

S. No.

Activities

Timelines in months M1

1

Hiring of Consultant

2

Field Visits to Coastal Erosion Hotspots

3

Preparation of Draft Management Plan

4

District Level Consultative Workshops

5

Provincial Level Consultative Workshops

6

National Level Consultative Workshop

7

Stakeholders Capacity Building Workshops and Awareness Raising

8

Dissemination of Management Plan

M2

M3

M4

Table 13: Formulation of a Coastal Erosion Management Plan

M6

M71

S. No.

Item

1

Hiring of Consultant

1

1.0

2

Field Visits to Coastal Erosion Hotspots

6

0.3

3

District Level Consultative Workshops

4

1.0

4

Provincial Level Consultative Workshops

2

1.0

5

National Level Consultative Workshop

1

1.0

6

Stakeholders Capacity Building Workshops

2

0.5

7

Dissemination of Management Plan

Lump sum

0.2

Total

Quantity

M5

M8

M9

Budget in PKR (million)

5 Million

47 concerned agencies that had made the project at the wrong site or with the wrong design.

6.5

Chapter Summary

This chapter identifies the locations of hotspots of coastal erosion in Pakistan and suggests

relevant interventions to deal with the erosion problem. It also provides a list of recommended interventions at macro, meso and micro level. Finally, a prioritised intervention is recommended for piloting in the field.

48

7

CONCLUSION

Coastal erosion along the Balochistan and Sindh coast is prevalent due to mismanagement of development work undertaken at the coast. Pakistan has a variety of coastal features that include deltas, raised terraces and raised beaches and has been under direct attack of storm surges and Arabian Sea cyclones. If the coastal zone is managed in a scientific manner by conducting hydrodynamic surveys before embarking upon any coastal project or a project which has influence on the coast then it will become a coastal area with socio-economic value. Most of the beaches are economically important as they can serve as prime tourist destinations if protected accordingly. The projected acceleration of sea level rise and increase in the frequency and intensity of storms and cyclones have made the task more challenging. Despite the common occurrence and severity in many cases, coastal erosion is not yet fully recognised as a threat to coastal communities at the national level. As such, there are currently no national or local policies directly addressing coastal erosion. Several government agencies at different administrative levels are involved in the management of the coastal areas; they are not committed to directly deal with coastal erosion. It is very necessary to re-think the present mode by which the coastal areas of Sindh and Balochistan are being managed. Acceleration of the nationwide mapping of coastal erosion and pushing for understanding of the hazard are urgently needed. Understanding of coastal dynamics, including identification of sediment sources and their movement directions are critically important for addressing the erosion issue. To deal with all these factors, a coastal erosion management plan should be developed for defining the scope of work to address the coastal erosion in Pakistan. It has been observed that the areas which receive freshwater on regular or intermediate basis, especially in the lower delta have dense mangrove forests. Therefore, the areas of the delta receiving continuous or seasonal river flows may be planted with mangrove or other suitable species after determining their suitability based on site characteristics.

49

8

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