THATTA: Sindh Minister for Culture and Tourism Shabbir Ahmed Qaimkhani has expressed grief over the drowning of 27 picnickers and said that strict action will be taken against those found responsible for negligence.

Addressing a press conference at the Kinjhar Lake on Tuesday, he announced a Rs 100,000 compensation for each of the 27 victims.

He said the Sindh Tourism Department will arrange four boats with all necessary equipment along with volunteers to take special security measures at the lake so that such incident do not recur. He said a watch tower will be built near the Noori Mazar to keep under observation the whole of the Kinjhar Lake for rescue operations.

He said he has contacted the health department for arranging a doctor at the lake and provide housing for him and the staff. He said they have registered all boats and boatmen should not carry more than eight people in a boat. He said the government will provide life jackets to picnickers. He announced that he would be visiting the lake every month to check all things are in order. He said the problems of the local fishermen would be solved. Earlier, the minister met the district administration official and asked them to take security measures to avoid such tragedies.

The existing situation at the lake, visited by thousands, especially on Sundays and holidays, is that not even a first aid post is established there. The visitors pay gate money, rent for huts and spend in hotels and other entertainment.

There are no lifeboats, no lifeguards, life jackets and no rescue equipment. There is no official divers posted at the lake. Local boatsmen and fishermen always recover the victims. Even when the victim is fished out, he has no first aid such as oxygen, suction apparatus, life saving drugs, cardiac massage, etc for his recovery. By the time the victim is shifted to the Civil Hospital, Thatta, about 20 miles away, he breathes his last.

Another fact is that the lake is filled with grass and weeds called "Narrho" in the bottom. This entangles the victim in the bottom. There has been no cleaning and dredging of the lake bottom for decades.