KARACHI, March 10: The administration of Lyari Town will soon take up the issue of the inclusion of Lea Market in the town’s jurisdiction.
Stating this, a town official told Dawn on Monday that the unnatural demarcation of the town boundary was not only depriving the town of its main revenue sources, but also creating numerous administrative problems.
He said the town council would submit a proposal to the National Reconstruction Bureau in this regard. He described Lea Market as ‘vital commercial centre of Lyari’.
On his part, the Nazim of Lyari Town strongly pleaded that Lea Market had long been an integral part of Lyari. He also criticized exclusion of the commercial zone while demarcating the town boundaries.
Under the new City Government plan, Lea Market is not under the control of Lyari Town Council and two tax spots — Timber Market and Lyari Expressway project — have also been excluded from its jurisdiction though the entire expressway is being built along the two banks of Lyari River.
Lea Market and Timber Market are the major revenue generating areas given into the jurisdiction of Saddar Town whereas Lyari Town’s jurisdiction has mainly residential areas with a population of low-income group.
Due to the serious financial problems, Lyari town administration had no option but to approve a deficit budget, the Nazim maintained.
He said that the administration had been striving hard to contain the deficit and expressed the hope that it would be reduced by Rs50 million by the end of the current fiscal year.
He condemned KESC for aggravating the situation by issuing excessive bill, amounting to Rs8.6 million per month categorizing it as commercial user, to the town.
The Nazim pointed out that the bill included Rs4.5 million charged for street lights which, he said, was unjust. Furthermore, he added, the charges pertained to the power consumption in 10,000 street lights whereas the entire town had hardly 2,000 street lights functioning.
He said that the town received only Rs120 million as federal grant against the expenditure of Rs220 million.
WATER SHORTAGE: Regarding water shortage problem in some parts of the town, the Nazim said that despite the
City Nazim’s assurance, supply of 3.5 mgd water from the old source could not be started as yet.
He, however, said that supply position in certain deficit areas had improved to a great extent. He said that as a result of efforts by his team, water supply to Lyari General Hospital had improved.
Under the Khushhal Pakistan Programme, the Nazim said, Rs30 million had been spent on the improvement of water and sewerage lines.
