29 September 2004	Wednesday	13 Shaban 1425

KARACHI, Sept 28: The K-III water supply project, a lifeline of Karachi, is now expected to be completed by the end of 2005, ahead of its scheduled time of completion i.e. in June 2006.

The K-III is a major water supply scheme for Karachi under which the water-starved city would be getting an additional 100 mgd water. In this regard, the Sindh Governor, Dr Ishratul Ibad, here on Tuesday ordered the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board to complete the scheme at the earliest.

"Though the K-3 project had initially taken off a bit late owing to some financial and other problems, it is now progressing at a satisfactory pace and I hope that the project will be commissioned by the end of 2005," the governor said while speaking to newsmen and addressing engineers after undertaking a five-hour long visit to the project and its components at Gharo, Gujjo Canal, Bhanbhor Road, Pipri, Pakland Road, etc.

The Governor said that with the commissioning of the K-III project, the city's water problem would be resolved to a greater extent as water supply would jump to 640 mgd as against the present requirement of 650 mgd.

He, however, asked the KWSB to chalk out plans to meet the future water requirements of the city for the next 25 to 30 years, keeping in view its population growth rate.

Underscoring the need for setting up desalination plants in the city, he urged the KWSB to finalize a feasibility in this regard. Lauding President Pervez Musharraf for providing funds for K- III and other mega projects, the governor exhorted the officials associated with the project to ensure that the project is not only accomplished ahead of its schedule, but is also made a long- lasting and durable project and there should be no compromise on quality of work.

Deploring that a huge quantity of water is wasted owing to leakages in pipelines, he said that the KWSB can save a considerable amount of water merely by plugging leakages.

Commending the role of Chinese engineers associated with the K-III project at Pipri, the governor said he had no words to express his gratitude to the Chinese people who are undertaking a number of development works in Karachi and other parts of Sindh. He felicitated the Chinese people on their National Day in anticipation.

Later, talking to newsmen, the governor said that the traffic department had chalked out a plan whereby drivers of heavy vehicles and water tankers would be allowed to ply their vehicles only in the periphery of the city's roads and hoped that congestion would ease considerably and accidents would minimise following implementation of the plan.

Asked about the measures being taken to shift the KWSB hydrants from the city which are responsible for devastation of roads and accidents, he said that the city government was working out a plan in this direction.

When his attention was drawn towards presence of a large number of manholes in the city, he said a number of civic problems, including the issue of open manholes, still persist owing to lack of coordination between the KWSB, the Town Municipal Administrations and Union Councils.

"In fact, the government wants to build capacity and strengthen the TMAs and UCs for the resolution of civic issues which are the basic task of the TMAs and the UCs," he added. To another query, he said that the government was taking all possible measures to crush the tanker mafia on the directives of President Pervez Musharraf.

Speaking on the occasion, the KWSB's managing director, Brig Iftikhar Haider, said though the federal government-funded K-III project was inaugurated by President Pervez Musharraf in June 2002, it was given impetus in June 2003 when work on its major components started.

Project manager Misbahuddin Fareed told newsmen that the pace of work on the project accelerated following recent allocation of Rs 2,160 for the year 2004-05.