KARACHI: CDGK asked to get loan for water loss reduction plan
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, April 18: Terming the ongoing K-3 water supply project and Lyari Expressway as the most important projects of the city, deputy chairman of planning commission Dr M. Akram Sheikh assured that the federal government
would continue to provide funds for both the projects on priority, sources told Dawn on Sunday.
Dr Akram Sheikh stated this while presiding over a high-level meeting at the chief secretary's office. The meeting was attended, among others, by City Nazim Niamatullah Khan; Sindh Additional Chief Secretary Ghulam Sarwar Khehro; provincial secretaries; DCO Mir Hussain Ali; CDGK's EDO (Works and Services) Shoaib Siddiqui; and KWSB managing director Shahid Salim.
Regarding the Rs1.3 billion water losses reduction plan that had already been approved by the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC), the planning commission's deputy chairman suggested that the city district government should obtain loan from local banks and a guarantee for the purpose would be provided by the federal government.
Dr Shaikh said that the KWSB could easily return the loan in a short span of time, as it could generate five million rupees annually after the completion of the K-3 project.
The meeting was told that the K-3 project, through which the city would be getting additional 100mgd water, would be completed on its scheduled date. However, it was informed that the work on Lyari Expressway project was being carried out at snail's pace and the project might not take off on its scheduled date.
The planning commission's deputy chairman and the chief secretary exhorted the officials concerned to ensure timely completion of all development projects, particularly the K-3 and Lyari Expressway.
Later, Chief Secretary Dr Mutawakkil Kazi told newsmen that Dr Akram Sheikh had asked the KWSB to design the treatment plants to ensure that the treated water could be used for industrial and agriculture purposes.
Dr Kazi said that the commission's deputy chairman had suggested that Sindh administration should put forward its proposals in the next budget concerning those industries which could co-operate with the government for development of Sindh, especially Karachi.
Quoting Dr Akram Sheikh, he said that a mini-steel mill having 500ton production capacity was in the offing in Karachi. Besides, President Musharraf would soon be holding meetings in Karachi for promotion of construction and housing industries, he added.
The chief secretary said that Dr Sheikh had also sent a letter to National Highway Authority chairman concerning the repair of highway from upper cities of Sindh to Multan. Earlier, Additional Chief Secretary Ghulam Sarwar Khehro gave detailed briefing regarding development projects being undertaken in different parts of Sindh.
