Karachi: The Sindh government has announced its intention to rehabilitate Manchar Lake, which was once a thriving community of floating villages inhabited by fishermen, as a tourist resort – a news source reported. Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah recently ordered the officials concerned to turn Manchar Lake into a model floating village and to promote the area as a tourist spot.
The pollutants in the lake had recently reached alarming levels and this contamination forced the inhabitants to relocate to new places; putting an end to this centuries-old floating settlements. But, the government aims to repurpose the locality and has devised a multifaceted rehabilitation plan for this purpose.
Under the planned initiative, the floating village will bring back as many fishermen families to their boat villages – which will in turn serve as a great tourist attraction. Similarly, the executive plans to establish several resorts and floating restaurants in its bid to promote tourism in the area. Other planned facilities include fishing points, bird watchtowers, public toilets, and marketplaces.
Meanwhile, during a meeting between the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department and a delegation from the Dawood University of Engineering and Technology (DUET), it was decided that tourist sites will be set up at 62 locations. Additionally, it was decided that 37 reverse osmosis plants will be repaired and maintained.
The rehabilitation plan also includes a school for fishermen’s children, a dispensary, provision of clean drinking water, along with other basic facilities.
