April 02, 2008	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 24, 1429

KARACHI, April 1: Keeping in view the rains forecast made by the Pakistan Meteorological Department, various towns of the city on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in their respective jurisdictions.

In this regard, the town administrations have deployed staff to drain rainwater, ensure cleanliness and deal with other related matters.

An emergency meeting was held in Site Town presided over by Naib Nazim Syed Badshah Khan. The town official directed the relevant staff to ensure round-the-clock work during the rains to solve public complaints at the earliest.

He appealed to the citizens to lodge their rain-related complaints to the relevant cell.

The acting nazim of Gulshan Town, Shoaib Akhtar imposing rain emergency in the town directed the sanitary staff to ensure a smooth flow of water through the storm-water drains in case it rained. He also directed cleaning and de-silting of all the nullahs in the town. People have been asked to lodge their complaints on phone numbers 9230355-9 or through the website www.tmagulshan.com.

The Liaquatabad Town has established a rain emergency centre comprising officials of the parks, sanitation, roads, water, power and electricity department.

The relevant personnel have been provided with all the equipment including cutters, axes, and dewatering pumps with generators to clear roads of rainwater.

The town nazim has asked the citizens to maintain a safe distance from electric pylons and in case of emergency lodge their complaints on 021-9260389-90.

Anti-encroachment drive

Dozens of encroachments were removed during the ongoing anti-encroachment drive in Shah Faisal Town.

The regulation department of the town with the help of the area police demolished illegal structures including galleries, balconies and other encroachments.

The acting nazim of Shah Faisal Town, Karimuddin, reviewed the ongoing operation along with the town municipal officer (TMO) and other department officials.

The town nazim informed the area people that the campaign for the widening of roads by removing encroachments would continue in the larger interest of the town’s residents.

He, however, said that in view of the needs of poor hawkers, special zones would be set up at the UC levels. While, such places had already been established in the UCs 3 and 6, he added.

Plantation drive

The nazim of Saddar Town, Mohammed Dilawar, has called for the protection of trees so as to beautify the town and to get rid of the environmental pollution.

He was speaking at a meeting held in connection with a tree plantation drive in the town. Referring to the rising environmental pollution, he said that tree plantation could help solve the problem in an effective manner.

The town nazim said that the town administration was planting saplings, developing green belts and working on the existing parks to overcome the problem of environmental pollution.—Agencies