KARACHI, June 20: The Sindh assembly was on Monday informed that work on the public park being developed at the old Sabzi Mandi site in the city was expected to be completed within the next two months. In a written reply to a question from MMA’s Abdul Rahman Rajput, Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim said that the city government was developing this parks under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by City Nazim and the Corps Commander of Sindh on April 3, 2002.

The land was handed over to Pakistan Army for the establishment of a public park at an estimated cost of Rs200 million. Development work is under way. The work could not be completed due to encroachments on the land by different groups/sects which had raised two mosques, an Imambargah (Alam) and madressas. The issue had, however, been resolved amicably in April.

The chief minister further stated that Sabzi Mandi had been shifted from this site to Superhighway on April 17, 2001. According to the master plan of the park, its total area is approximately 38 acres. Out of this, 19-22 acres is available while the remaining land is to be acquired under the Land Acquisition Act 1894.

In response to a question from Mohammad Younus Barai, the chief minister told the house that in block 15 of scheme-36, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, two sites for parks had been encroached upon and the encroachers had claimed to be allottees of plot Nos. L/5 to L/20, carved out of the above two parks sites.

The chief minister said it was being looked into that how the park sites had been converted to residential plots. He confirmed that there were two sites for parks — ST/41 and ST/42 –the first one being exclusively meant for park and the second one for a park and playground.

Replying to a question from Mohammad Moin Aamir Pirzada, the chief minister informed the house that the Liaquatabad Flyover deck slab portion had sustained damage on Aug 27, 2004, near Karimabad intersection. However, immediately measures had been taken and M/s NCL got it repaired at their own expenses. As the repair work appeared satisfactory, no action had been taken and no responsibility fixed against any official.

Replying to a question from Heer Ismail Soho of the MQM, the chief minister informed the house that there was no proposal to establish a new set up of Sindh Katchi Abadis Authority at district level. The SKAA has its headquarter (in Karachi) and four filed offices.

He said that regularization and up-gradation of pre-1985 katchi abadis was a continuous process under the provisions laid down in Sindh Katchi Abadis Authority Act 1987. The SKAA has been working in the whole province.

Responding to a question from Ms Saira Shahliani, the chief minister said that about two million gallon-per-day water was being supplied to Jacobabad city.

At present, the source of the supply is Jamali Minor (non- perennial) and tubewells. There is a shortage of drinking water in some areas of the city due to the outdated distribution system there. Looking into the urgency and importance, the government has approved the PC-l of new water supply scheme. The government has decided to get the scheme executed through the army which has been awarded the contract.