KARACHI, Oct 11: Muttahida Quami Movement ministers and lawmakers have announced a raft of uplift measures for Qasimabad, Latifabad and other parts of Hyderabad district.

In a telephonic address, which was partly reported by Dawn on Saturday, Muttahida chief Altaf Hussain on Friday night in Hyderabad directed party ministers to resolve the long-standing lease issue of Kutchi Abadis in Qasimabad, start the reconstruction of the Qasimabad treatment plant and initiate work on the sewerage network of Wahdat Colony.

According to the uplift plan, a kidney centre will be established in Shah Latif Bhittai Hospital. A Rs170 million project for the construction of an outpatient department in Latifabad Kohisar Hospital will start in December. A Rs2 million project for the upgrade of Countess Diffrin Maternity Hospital will be completed in Feb 2004. A Rs15 million project for the construction of a library in Hyderabad and preservation of Mukhi House will be initiated.

A tourist village will be established near the Hyderabad toll plaza on Super Highway. A Rs40 million project for the repair of the Pucca Qila in Hyderabad and the establishment of a museum in it will be started. The tombs of the Kalhora and Talpur rulers will be preserved under the same project.

A Rs65 million project for the expansion of the children’s park in the Sindh provincial museum in Hyderabad will be initiated. A “Hyderabad Mela” will be organized every year for which Rs2 million will be spent. A Sindhi language authority will be set up. The ongoing work on the handicraft training institute in the Sindh museum will be completed. Reading halls will be constructed in Daudpota Library.

A public library will be established in the Matiari district of Hyderabad. The Rs10 billion package announced by the prime minister will be employed to construct a flyover and a filter water plant in Latifabad. New roads will be constructed in the locality and old roads will be repaired.

An IT institute and a college will be established in Latifabad. The playgrounds in Hyderabad and Latifabad will be renovated and expanded. A piece of land measuring 50 acres is being purchased to expand the Sindh Small Industries Corporation. Another piece of land measuring 300 acres is being developed to promote large industries in Hyderabad. The ceramic centre will be upgraded and new training programmes will be initiated.

An artisan colony will be set up in Mithi. The Sindh Workers’ Welfare Board will construct 128 flats in Hyderabad labour square and 250 quarters in Kotri. A Rs5 million project for the installation of traffic-lights and repair of roads in the industrial area of Hyderabad will be initiated. Intermediate colleges for boys and girls are being established in Kotri. The workers’ model school will be upgraded.

A children’s ward will be set up in the Social Security Hospital in Hyderabad. All cottage industries covered over an area less than 100 yards, including the bangles industry, will be exempted from the property tax till 2006.