Toronto and Karachi - Problem in the Waters

A Comparison
As Toronto has Urbanized and Grown into one of the most important City in Canada, so
have the problems that come with the rapid urbanization of any city. One of the major problems
faced by Toronto in the past century and am issue that still persists is the Pollution in Lake
Ontario caused by Industrial and sewage discharge. Many developing cities around the world,
especially cities near large water bodies, all have faced problems regarding their water resources,
at least once in their histories. One city in particular, which is facing problems regarding their
water resources is Karachi. Karachi and Toronto have many similarities; Industry and sewage too
have affected Karachi's water resources.
For Much of Toronto's history, it has been an Industrial City. Located at a key
geographical location with Lake Ontario at its side and the Don River, which flows right through
the city. Due to its amazing location, near water bodies, Toronto evolved into an industrial port
contributing a huge chunk to Canada's Gross Domestic Product, about 11%. As it evolved, it
became a promising city, providing millions of Jobs, Business and venture opportunities. Toronto
became such an important economic hub for Canada, that an entire new Stock Exchange was
opened, naming it the Toronto Stock Exchange. Although like anything, with great promises and
benefits and advantages, there comes risks, complications and problems. And when these
problems are not dealt with in a timely manner, they go onto becoming a crisis. As with many
other cities around the world with great urban sprawl and expansion, they've had to experience
some sort of urban crisis at least once in their histories. Toronto is no Different. One of the
toughest and most glaring problems it has been facing for a long time now, is that of Pollution
within the surrounding water bodies. The Industry that had grown all along Toronto's watershed
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had been polluting the rivers and Lakes, they had been dumping harsh chemicals into the water
which caused the destruction of vast areas of one of the best quality and fertile lands in Canada.
And have driven away tens of species of fish from Toronto's shores and tens more to die out. The
chemical and sewage dumping has caused vast aqueous life to become contaminated.
Before the 1970's not much attention had been paid towards the cleaning of Toronto's
water bodies. Hence pollution had taken a toll on the health of these water bodies. By the early
1970's Don River was known to be a dead river, As The Toronto Telegram put it: They finally
had a funeral for the Don River yesterday. Judging from the smell of the deceased, it was long
overdue." (http://www.canadiangeographic.ca/magazine/jun11/don_river_watershed.asp). During
the time, Many rallies and protests took place, huge mass media projects started in order to
spread awareness, this ignited much interest into the subject and many research projects went
underway. Finally when the threats within The Great Lakes, especially Lake Ontario became
apparent and their risks to the environment and much pressure from the public. The Government
stepped in and started to find resolutions to fix this problem at hand.
One of the major power players is the Government of Canada "Since 1989 till this date
the Government of Canada has invested $355 million in targeted actions to restore and protect
great lakes water quality and ecosystem health." (http://www.ec.gc.ca/doc/eau-water/grandslacsgreatlakes_e.htm). 'At present the Government of Canada is investing 48 million dollars annually
towards the rehabilitation and control of pollution levels of and within the Great Lakes. Out of
the 48 million, 22 million comes from Environment's Canada; and out of the 22 million
$8 million is used to rehabilitate fish and wildlife habitat, $6 million per year to remediate
contaminated sediment in Great Lakes and $8 million per year is used for scientific research,
monitoring, lending expertise to partnered projects, consultation and community engagement,

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and participation in restoration and clean-up initiatives.' (http://www.ec.gc.ca/doc/eauwater/grandslacs-greatlakes_e.htm)

Since the 1970 the government of Canada has already taken massive steps in collaboration with
the United States government to clean out the Great Lakes. Many parts around the Great Lakes
which used to be most affected due to industrial and sewage pollution are no more a place of
threat. Levels of pollution have been controlled and brought down, and it is seen that the original
environmental state has been revitalized. The Government of Canada's main focus has now been
diverted to maintaining the level of sustainability in those particular cities. Environment Canada
is directing major portion of its funds to help support and initiate projects in communities small
and large, to make those communities self sufficient, self organized and self sustainable. In these
communities proper education about environment, pollution and recycling is given. And then
programs relating to these topics are initiated and members of those communities are given the
opportunity to take up leadership roles. Environment Canada's main goal has become, to create
the Canadian society a forward thinking and independent society, with each person a leader in his
own specific role. Their philosophy is that by giving each member of society a sense of
leadership position, it gives them a feeling of accountability and with that feeling humans
become proactive, rather than reactive.
Urban sustainability is the idea that cities can be designed with the consideration of
environmental impact, inhabited by people dedicated to minimization of required inputs of
energy, water and food, and waste output of heat, air pollution.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_sustainability). While there still are many challenges facing
Toronto's watershed and still much needs to be done. Over the years the multiple projects the
government of Canada has invested towards, have actually had a better impact upon the

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environment. The objective of urban sustainability is to create inhabitants of a city proactively

participating in the minimization of required inputs of energy, water and food, and waste output.
As mentioned before Environment Canada has invested much of its resources into communities,
hoping to create that type of society; a self sustaining society. A society that does not let damage
be done to its environment, but which is proactively searching for ways to reduce the damage
upon its environment and a society that is willing to take steps to make that happen.
Karachi, very much similar to Toronto is a developing city influenced by
Industrialization. Karachi lies at the very tip of Pakistan. It is Pakistan's biggest sea port. Much
of goods traded with other countries (Leaving and arriving) is done through the ports of Karachi.
Oil tankers, Ships loaded with food and/or other non-consumable items all come and dock at the
ports of Karachi. The port of Karachi is so important that Countries doing trade with other
counties, use Karachi's ports. For example Goods from China are transported across Pakistan and
then they are loaded onto ships and sent off to European Countries. Not only does the transport
and Shipping Industry use Karachi, Other industries such as fishing, tanneries, chemical and
drugs producing industries, car production plants and food production plants are also seen in the
vicinity of the Malir River and the shore of the Arabian sea. Karachi is a rapidly urbanizing city;
Urbanization basically means, An increase in a population in cities and towns versus rural areas.
Urbanization began during the industrial revolution, when workers moved
towards manufacturing hubs in cities to obtain jobs in factories as agricultural jobs became
less common. (http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/urbanization.html) That is exactly
what is happening, every year Thousands of people flock from their villages and other cities to
Karachi in the hopes of finding work and means to earn money. The sudden expansion of
Karachi's industry has provided millions of people with employment and has given many

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thousands of entrepreneurs business opportunities. Karachi is such an important part of Pakistan,

that it contributes an enormous 20% of Pakistan's total Gross Domestic Product. Karachi has
become the central and economic hub for Pakistan's economy. Although Karachi didn't start of as
a industrial zone, it used to be a fisherman village, named Kolachi. After Oil was found in the
Guelph of Arabia, Kolachi changed to Karachi and became one of the important transport and
shipping hubs for the world.
Just like Toronto, with Karachi's great success, there came problems as part of the
package. Problems that had the greatest impact upon the environment and in extension to the
people living in that environment. Pakistan is yet a developing country, much of the important
infrastructure, which is taken for granted in Canada, such as proper electricity grids, proper water
supply, gas supply, water sanitation, etc does not even exist in Pakistan yet. So when the
industrial revolution came to Pakistan, it was so rapid that Karachi was not able to build the
proper infrastructure in time and the effects of the industry on the environment were 10 folds
worse than they were in Toronto. Because Toronto from the beginning(before industry boom)
had already built a very good, basic infrastructure which evolved as the industry evolved, the
urban planners of Toronto had already witnessed the urban crisis of the European cities, in the
pages of history.
One industry in particular that really took a toll on Karachi's environment is the tannery
industry. Waste comes from 170 calfskin tanneries, much of which is untreated. A very small
number of tanneries have some sort of treatment facility which somewhat weakens the impact.
Most of the waste is poured into the nullahs and the Gizri river, the farmers use the water from
Gizri river to irrigate the plants. A research found out that there was 25 times additional
chromium found in food produced from that region compared to other regions. An annual 30,000

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tons of pollutants come from these 170 tanneries. It was planned that effluent from these
tanneries would be collected in sewers, separated from storm water drains which end at Malir
river. Unfortunately due to lack of maintenance and gradual deterioration of infrastructure the
pollutants from the tanneries get mixed with the sewage system and thus get dumped into the
nullahs, Gizri River and hence by extension into the Arabian Sea."
(http://search.proquest.com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/docview/224825103)
Many solutions have been proposed to clean up the watershed of Karachi. One
noteworthy solution came from the Pakistan Tannery Association (PTA). The association
proposed to construct a combined effluent treatment plant in Korangi, for the use of all the
tanneries, this would cost them Rs.1.365 Billion (14 Million Dollars Canadian). The Dutch
government have promised to pitch in 60% of the amount proposed to build the plant. While the
Pakistani federal government have given 15 acres of land (worth approximately Rs200 million,
or $2 Million CAD), on which to build the treatment plant. That leaves the Tanners to spend
nearly Rs100 million ($1 Million CAD) to establish pollution control facilities in their tanneries.
It is projected that it will cost around Rs.65 Million ($650,000 CAD) annually to run the plant,
the plant's construction is based upon a similar plant based in Kanpur(India) which too was setup
through a Dutch donation. It is hoped that the plant can reduce 70% of the pollutants coming out
of the Tanning factories.
Apparently this project seems to be a step in the right direction, but the problem is that
the government in Pakistan is not interested in facing the core issue. A few other projects like
these had been set-up, but due to neglect, these infrastructures deteriorated. The real issue is does
one simply want to create buildings and machinery or does one want to create a society and
system which breeds in itself the will of creating a beautiful, self sustaining environment. Many

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more projects may come, but without the will of sustainability they will all be gone. This will be
a slow and long term project. The government needs to build the proper infrastructure of
providing the proper education and then it must provide the resources for people to take on the
initiatives. It must give the people a sense of leadership and ownership, where they feel that they
too are a part of something greater, hence this makes the people proactive in fixing their own
environment.
The similarities one can find between the two cities Toronto and Karachi are far greater in
number, than are differences. Karachi in its yet developing and young age, shares much key
ground and similarities with Industrial Toronto's History. Both the cities are close to large water
bodies, both cities developed industries along their watersheds, and both cities faced a similar
urban crisis due to its fast growing industry and urbanization, and slow growing methods of
adaptation with the new world. Although, while these similarities may be true, Toronto now
stands as an example for other developing cities; by examining its history and how it overcame
the problems it faced. The way society adjoined to build and fix this city together. The mistakes
that were made, the ideas that became successful and the problems that could be faced by
developing cities in the future, which the developing cities are already facing. Within all of this
there is something to learn. In any city society is its planner and developer and sustainer.
Hopefully the planners and sustainers of all developing cities learn from the cities that have
already out-grown their developing phase. History makes a great example out of everyone, and
one must learn from these examples. So one doesn't repeat history, rather moves forward in it.

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