KARACHI: KWSB told to regularize connections in Korangi
KARACHI, April 13: Nazim Naimatullah Khan has said the city government is financially not stable enough to carry out mega projects and, therefore, it has to seek the federal government's help for such schemes.
"The city government did not launch mega projects except the Shah Faisal Flyover since its inception two-and-a-half years ago due to financial constraints," said the nazim at a luncheon meeting of the Korangi Association for Trade and Industry (KATI) on Tuesday.
He said that foreign investment was being sought to initiate development projects in the city. Besides, the Karachi Development Package of Rs29 billion approved by President Gen Pervez Musharraf was also being used to improve the city's infrastructure.
Responding to problems confronting Korangi Industrial Area, the city nazim said he was well aware of the deteriorating conditions in the industrial areas of the city, which discouraging foreigners from investing in Karachi.
"Special care has been taken in the Karachi Development Package by earmarking Rs2.5 billion for solving problems faced by the industrial areas of the city except SITE," he said. However he made it clear that problems of the industrial areas were enormous and could not be solved overnight and time was needed to develop these areas.
In response to a speaker's suggestion that the amount for the development of the industrial areas be enhanced, the nazim said to him all parts of the city were equally important and no part could be ignored for the development of the industrial areas.
"All resources could not be spent on industrial areas as there are over 500 slum areas, housing 52 per cent of Karachi's population," he said. He hinted at an increase in development funds for the industrial areas as there might be an increase in the KDP and said that at his last meeting with President Pervez Musharraf this matter was discussed in detail.
However the nazim exhorted the industrialists to improve the quality of their products as mere development of industrial areas could not help them compete in the rapidly-changing scenario of competition.
He directed the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) to regularize water connections in Korangi Industrial Area and also ordered that a committee be formed to look into the construction plan of the 8000 Road in Korangi.
The nazim took this step when office-bearers of KATI pointed out flaws in the road plan and noted that this plan did not seem viable. He also assured the KATI industrialists of his full cooperation in resolving their problems and asked them to be thankful to Karachi. "All of us should be grateful to Karachi for providing us with opportunities to flourish and become prosperous."
He asked everyone to evaluate himself from where he had started and where he stood now. Earlier, KATI Chairman Mian Zahid Hussain spoke at length on the problems of Korangi Industrial Area and called for early resolution of these problems to attract more investment in the city.
He said the development of the industrial areas would generate employment opportunities for the people. Besides, it would also contribute to the national exchequer in terms of revenue.
He said sewerage was the main problem of Korangi Industrial Area as there was no proper drainage in the area. He regretted that despite the approval of PC-1 for the improvement of sewerage in the industrial area, the funds had not been released so far and called for immediate release of these funds.
KATI Development Committee Chairman Aslam Mujahid and Senior Vice Chairman KATI Mohammad Yousaf Sheikh also spoke. Naib City Nazim Tariq Hasan and Karachi DCO Mir Hussain Ali were also present. - PPI
