2012 年 3 巻 1 号 p. 78-84
This article presents the preliminary social and environmental assessment of Zulfikarabad Mega City Project that is underway in the coastal region of Sindh Province in Pakistan. Four parameters comprising the existing land use, hazard profile at the site, occupational structure of the local communities and existing land property rights are examined. Data sources included remote sensing imagery, questionnaire survey, rapid appraisals, literature survey and official records. Findings of the land use analysis reveal that most parts of the City would be built by clearing the mangrove areas which have been declared protected forests since 1950s. Besides, the location is prone to the modest frequency of earthquakes and cyclones which in some cases were not only devastating for the lives and properties of local people but also had brought significant economic losses to the regional economy. Numerous villages of varying sizes are located on the proposed site where the majority of the population ekes out their living from agricultural and fishing activities. There is a clear indication that the Government’s prime attraction towards this location is the ’availability’ of so-called ’wastelands’. This standpoint is contested in the light of land use analysis. Considering that the City is still in its planning stage, the finding of this study will serve as a useful guide for more in-depth studies on some of the emerging concerns over the megacity project.
