KARACHI, Dec 15: City Nazim Naimatullah Khan has said that in order to convey the benefits of new local government system to grassroots level , it is imperative that all departments concerned of the provincial government should be completely merged into the city government.

He was talking to a delegation of the World Bank which met him at his office on Wednesday. The delegation comprised Senior Economist Deepak Mishram, consultants Khalid Ikram, Shahid Hafeez Kardar, Shafqat Mahmood and others. DCO Fazlur Rehman was also present on the occasion.

City Nazim Naimatullah Khan said that the city government had paid special attention towards solving the basic problems and infrastructure improvement. It completed over 30 pending projects of water supply, sewerage, transport, education and health during the last three years.

He told the delegation that it was also the responsibility of national organizations based in Karachi to contribute to the efforts by the city government for city's infrastructure improvement because they, too, were using this infrastructure.

He said that he was grateful to the Karachi Port Trust, the Pakistan Steel Mills, the EPZ, the Pakistan International Airlines and other national organizations who acknowledged this fact and took initiative on the directive of President Musharraf for infrastructure improvement in cooperation with the city government.

Naimatullah Khan pointed out that sewerage system of the city had become obsolete. He said various projects were under implementation for up gradation of sewerage system and to overcome prevailing water shortage in the city.

He informed the delegation that out of Rs29 billion under Taameer-i-Karachi programme, Rs13 billion was being spent on water and sewerage projects alone. He further said that work on 100mgd K-III water supply scheme was in progress while designing for K-IV would soon be completed.

He emphasised the need for bringing the master plan in commensuration with the modern-day requirements so as to solve the basic problems of Karachi. He invited the World Bank's attention on this aspect. -APP