KARACHI, July 16: The Provincial Minister for Planning and Development, Shoaib Ahmed Bukhari, laid the foundation stone of a covered drain in Orangi Town on Saturday. The 4,378-ft long drain from Block L to Gulzar Mohammedi Colony in Sector 11-1/2 will be constructed in six months at a cost of Rs12.30 million. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Bukhari said construction of the drain would rid some half a million people from environmental pollution.

He informed that at present three colleges and a boys college were in the final stages of completion in the Orangi Town while a girls college had already been made functional in Sector 7-C.

“I understand that after 2007, the girls of Orangi Town will not have to go out of the town for education up to the graduation level.”

He pointed out that classes had started at the Mono-Technic Institute in Orangi Town while work on adding 100-beds to the Sindh Government Qatar Hospital and setting up of a 50-bed hospital in Mansoor Nagar were in the final stages as well.

MPA Abdul Quddus said completion of the project would help establish a healthy society. However, he stressed the need for greater awareness among people and said they should desist from throwing plastic bags and other garbage into the drain.

MQM MPA Abdul Kadir Khanzada also spoke.—APP