KARACHI: City Council approves new lease rates for katchi abadis
By Latif Baloch
KARACHI, June 1: The City Council on Thursday approved a resolution seeking new lease rates for katchi abadis with an amendment by a majority vote amid allegations by the opposition that the treasury benches have decided to bulldoze their plans.
The new amendment empowers the city government to revise its rates if the Sindh Kachchi Abadis Authority (SKAA) takes any decision, in future.
The opposition councillors termed the amendment an extra burden on the poor, saying it had fully exposed the claims of the treasury benches as being representatives of the poor people and they also demanded that previous rates be enforced.
Sensing that the treasury was determined to pass the resolution, the opposition staged a walkout as a mark of protest accusing the treasury of working against the interests of the poor who have been living in a miserable condition in katchi abadis. The treasury benches passed the resolution by a majority vote, and rejected the charges of the opposition, saying new rates would not be a burden on poor people. On the other hand, they said the revenue generated on this account would be spent on development activities.
They also argued that old rates could not be enforced in view of changed economic conditions when cost of various items had gone high. They further said that the former Nazim Niamatullah Khan at a governing body meeting of the SKAA held on June 26, 2002, had also agreed on an increase of 10 per cent on the prevailing lease rates.
Earlier, opposition leader Syed Ghani and some other members, including Sheikh Mehbub, Rafiq Ahmed, in their speeches stressed the need for formation of a house committee to develop a consensus on the issue.
Thursday session was also chaired by the presiding officer Masood Mehmood. The attendance was impressive with jam-packed treasury benches fully prepared to face an uncompromising opposition.
The opposition also made an uproar when the presiding officer tabled three resolutions relating to water issue, including the K-III. Two resolutions were submitted by the treasury benches and one by the opposition.
The opposition criticised the treasury for their failure to effectively implement the K-III project, saying all their claims regarding overcoming water shortage in the city after the implementation of K-III have proved wrong as water crisis has become more acute in the city.
Leader of the house Asif Siddiqui defended the multi-billion rupee K-III project, saying as a result of its execution, water supply position in most of the city areas had greatly improved, and with the passage of time, the situation would improve further. In this regard, he lauded the efforts of City Nazim Kamal Mustafa for taking personal interest in the implementation of the issue.
He was supported by other council members, including Abdul Jalil , Imran, Arshad Ali and Ahsan Siddiqui.
Earlier, the house passed a resolution condemning the sacrilegeous Hollywood film and called for a ban on its exhibition and seizure of CDs in the market. Minority member Yunus Khan welcomed the sentiments of the house.
The debate on water crisis was in progress when the presiding officer adjourned the session to meet again on Friday.
Opposition leaders Syed Ghani and Rafiq Ahmed also addressed a press conference. They accused the presiding officer of being biased as he bulldozed the views of the opposition. They said the way the presiding officer conducted the session was highly objectionable.
They maintained that they tried to build a consensus on the issue of katchi abadis, but their efforts were marred by the negative attitude of the chair.
Mr Rafiq Ahmed said the K-III project was launched during the tenure of Niamatullah Khan and Khan must be given credit.
He deplored that the opposition leader Sheikh Mehbub had been threatened by some members of the treasury benches, but the chair did not take any notice of it. The opposition councillor accused the treasury benches of conspiring against the poor people of Karachi.
