Karachi: A number of civil society representatives and environmental experts have cautioned that the development projects currently being executed by the Clifton Cantonment Board (CCB) pose serious environmental risks and can result in depriving the public of their free beach access, according to a news report published on July 4.
Earlier in February, the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) approved the project without a detailed environmental impact assessment.
The said project is to spread over 20.89 acres and will include one-kilometre-long Seaview beach (the stretch between Nishan-i-Pakistan and Chunky Monkey Park), two beach decks, a jogging track, monuments, fountains, restaurants, tuck-shops, two piazzas (2.5 acres each) and green areas spread over 13.5 acres.
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Pakistan Senior Director Rab Nawaz said that the large-scale development of concrete structures has reportedly impacted the sea’s hydrological dynamics, causing loss of natural land. It will also increase the land’s vulnerability to inundation and increase the risk of erosion. He said that these risks have been compounded by the present threats of environmental degradation and climate change. He highlighted the need to focus on low-impact and environment-friendly structures
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