January 25, 2006	Wednesday	Zilhaj 24, 1426

KARACHI, Jan 24: The solid waste management system in Karachi would be handed to private sector by Feb 15 at all costs, while all billboards in Karachi would be removed after returning Rs77.5 million fees to the parties concerned, said City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal on Monday night.

Speaking at a meeting of town nazims and naib nazims at his office, he said by handing the solid waste management system to the private sector, the city would be made neat and clean.

Mustafa Kamal said from Feb 15, the cleaning work would be carried out during night timings.

Mustafa Kamal asked the town administrations to accelerate work on applications received from the private sector so that privatization process could be ensured on its schedule.

The city nazim informed the meeting that the federal government would finance the KMTP’s Corrider-II. He expressed the hope that work on this eight km long overhead and 5.3km long underground corridor from Orangi Town to Cantonment Station would be initiated in the next few months.

He told the nazims that the city government had received just Rs77.5 million regarding billboards and hoardings against a target of Rs2 billion, and he had decided to return money to the parties concerned and remove all billboards and hoardings in the city.

He announced that this drive would be initiated from Saddar town.

He said that this decision had been taken as there were difficulties in ascertaining as to which billboard was legal and which was not, and besides some officials of the city government were also involved in the scam, so he had decided to re-initiate the whole process.

He said new challan books have been printed and new attractive billboards would be installed in the city, according to the bylaws of the city government. He said that the new billboards would also have their serial number for verification.

He expressed the hope that by doing away with the mushroom growth of billboards in the city and streamlining the new ones, the city would not only be beautified, but revenue could be generated for the city government.

Earlier, the meeting discussed privatization of solid waste management sector and decided that despite all administrative difficulties and bottlenecks, it would be privatized according to its schedule. City naib nazima Nasreen Jalil was also present.

Later, during his visit to Suparco offices on Tuesday, the city nazim said that coordination will developed between the city district government and the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) for rapid development of the city.

The nazim said that the city government would also utilise surveys and studies carried out by Suparco.

Suparco chairman Maj-Gen Raza Hasan briefed the City nazim about satellite monitoring of KWSB lines, kachchi abadies, hoarding, transport and garbage removal system and other operations of the CDGK.

He said that the Suparco had conducted a satellite study of the problems related to the city. The study would be very fruitful for the CDGK, he added.

Gen. Raza Hasan said Suparco could help the CDGK in preparation of a master plan.

The city nazim said it was a healthy step that the Suparco was playing a role for the betterment of society.

ANTI-POLIO DRIVE: The City Nazim on Tuesday directed the concerned officials of the city government and all town municipal administrations to take measures for making the three-day anti-polio drive starting Jan 24 a success.

He issued directives for provision of vehicles with megaphones to town to make the anti-polio drive a success.

He asked officials and TMAs to place banners, and launch campaign on electronic and print media and hold essay competitions, tableaus and other activities in schools.—PPI/APP