KARACHI, June 25: A balanced budget for the city government’s water and sanitation department of Rs5,016.80 million for the year 2003-04 was presented at the city council on Wednesday.
For the next fiscal year, the size of the W&S department’s budget is about Rs500 million higher as against its outgoing financial year’s budget of Rs 4.49856 million.
It was for the first time that the water and sanitation department budget was tabled along with the city government’s budget before the city council.
The W&S department’s 2003-04 budget documents show an anticipated income of about Rs2,895.40 million and development expenditures at Rs2,121.40 million.
MAJOR ALLOCATIONS: For 100-mgd Greater Karachi Water Supply Scheme Rs2 billion has been allocated, for rehabilitation of Jamila Street Sewerage pumping station, Rs7.838 million; survey of underground water in Karachi, Rs13.500 million; and future water supply resources from Keenjhar Lake to Karachi, Rs36.350 million.
Around Rs995m had been allocated for establishment; Rs25 million for alum, chlorine and chemicals; Rs30 million for fuel for pumping stations; Rs50m for petrol of vehicles, Rs1,365m for electricity charges; Rs226.590 for maintenance works; Rs8.455m for stationary, Rs6.522m for telephone, and Rs55 million for medical facilities.
Like previous year, no amount has been earmarked under the head of tankers supply as the task of supplying water to the city deficient pockets from the W&S department’s hydrants was being discharged by Rangers.
The City Nazim, Naimatullah Khan, said that a desalination plant would be set up on built-operate and transfer (BOT) basis.
The other five water supply related projects include water leakage control programme, K-3 whereby the city would get additional 100mgd by the year 2005, exploration of sub-soil water, waste water recycling project and a desalination plant.
About the federal government funded programme for water leakages control, he said that the project which was aimed at reducing water losses was estimated to Rs1.2 billion. With the completion of the project the city would not only save as 250mgd which was wasted owing to leaking pipelines, but would also help save the city roads from being damaged.
This project, he added, included changing of nearly five decades old supply lines, installation of new pumps, changing and repairing of joints etc.
Exploring sub-soil water, he highlighted that nearly after a gap of one century when well of Dumlloti were dug, city government had initiated a project to exploit the sub-soil water resource.
About 20-25 MGD water was expected from this project, besides a waste-water recycling plant was being established with the cooperation of private sector in SITE area. An international firm would invest Rs1 billion for retreating the waste water and supplying about 20mgd water for industries at SITE.
He said that Rs2,121.40 million had been allocated for
carrying out development works as against Rs1.6 billion earmarked for the same purpose last fiscal.
