KARACHI, Nov 5: City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal has announced provision of 260 containers for garbage lifting vehicles to facilitate town administrations.
Addressing a meeting of town nazims at Civic Centre on Saturday night, the nazim said that the city government decided to give four iron containers for every garbage lifting vehicle so that speedy removal of garbage could be ensured.
The meeting was convened to look into ways and means to improve the cleanliness and hygienic conditions of the city besides reviewing the progress of ongoing spray campaign being undertaken to control the spread of dengue fever.
Mustafa Kamal announced that the first shipment of 106 containers would be handed over to nine towns while the rest would be distributed to the remaining towns during the following three weeks. This, he observed, would help expedite the process of lifting garbage from garbage-cabins.
Referring to the ongoing fumigation in the city, undertaken to get rid of the dengue virus, the nazim said it had been decided to continue it on permanent basis.
The campaign would continue to get the city a status of ‘clean and free from mosquito.’ The third round of spray had been started under which nine towns had been covered so far, he said and added that after completion of this, the fourth round would be initiated.
“The spray would continue until the city was completely free from mosquitoes, no matter how much time it may take,” he observed.
He directed the town nazims to play an active role in cleanliness campaign side by side carrying out sprays. If required, additional machinery should be used to get the desired results, he added.
Mustafa Kamal said that more than 8,000 sanitary workers were presently available to the towns and if they were all engaged, the city would be certainly become clean. He directed that each garbage lifting vehicle should dispose of the picked up garbage to the designated landfill sites. “No contractor will get his payment unless he produces a slip received from the landfill site,” he added.
The nazim said that one landfill site had been computerised while work was underway to computerise the other. He ordered that garbage lifting vehicles should be covered properly so that garbage was not spilled over the roads. “All out cooperation will be extended to the towns in this regard,” he assured.
He also gave a briefing regarding development works to be carried out in various union councils at the cost of Rs1.81 billion.
DCO Fazlur Rehman and EDOs also attended the meeting.
VISIT: Mustafa Kamal paid a surprise visit to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital on Sunday and inquired the health of dengue patients.
He was informed that 78 patients were admitted to the hospital. Most of the patients came to the hospital from Landhi, Korangi, Shah Faisal, Orangi and New Karachi towns, said a statement issued on Sunday.
Some patients admitted are still under treatment while the rest have been discharged after recovery.
Mustafa Kamal went round different wards and expressed anger over unsatisfactory cleanliness condition. He ordered to fix mosquito nets on the windows and keeping spit pots at a side of the stairs.
On a complaint that doctors prescribe the patients to get their tests done from private laboratories, the nazim expressed annoyance and directed M.S. Abbasi Shaheed and the hospital’s committee to submit a report explaining the situation. Action would be initiated against those doctors and paramedical staff, who failed to look after the patients in a proper manner, he warned.
Meanwhile, addressing at a reception at the Faran Club, Mustafa Kamal said that they believed in practical work and serving people without discrimination. He urged the citizens to ensure cleanliness of their houses and surroundings.
Sindh Local Government Minister Muhammad Hussain
Khan pledged for rapid progress of the city. Abdul Rehman Chappra, S.M. Muneer, Yousuf Adil and others also spoke.—APP/PPI
