KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Friday directed the divisional and district administrations to support the 100-day cleanliness drive launched by the city mayor.

“This city belongs to each and every one of us, therefore setting aside politics we must support the mayor and make the city clean,” he added.

The chief minister, who was presiding over a meeting summoned to review progress of work on Rs10 billion Karachi package, expressed his displeasure on delay in starting work on University Road,from NED to Safoora Chowrangi in particular. “This portion is completely dilapidated and must be done on a war footing,” he said.

Mr Shah said that the DMCs had enough funds, machinery and other sources to lift garbage and clean their respective areas. But “I am sorry to say that they have not taken much interest in it,” he said, while directing the minister for local government to have a meeting with the newly elected chairmen of DMCs and KMC mayor and officers concerned so that the relevant officials and staff could be mobilised to clean the city.

He also directed the city commissioner to activate his deputy commissioners. “This is our collective responsibility to clean the city until the mechanical sweeping system takes place by the first week of January 2017,” he said.

Mr Shah said there was an unnecessary hue and cry for powers. “You have enough powers just start your work and serve the people who have given you mandate,” he urged the elected people and directed divisional administration and all the relevant provincial government departments to own the cleanliness drive the mayor had just started. “Our collective objective is to provide relief to the people of this city. I have started focusing the development of this city and you all help him [mayor] to clean the city,” he reiterated.

Package

The chief minister reviewed progress of work under each scheme of the Rs10 billion Karachi package.

He was informed that the first stage of the Pipri filter/pumping station programme had been launched for Rs900 million to upgrade the existing electrical and mechanical machinery of 40MGD pump house. The scheme would enhance the existing capacity of the present pump house to cater the shortage/future requirement of water of Karachi East district and the Defence Housing Authority. These pump houses were established in 1971, then upgraded in 1989 and 1999.

The chief minister was told that the finance department had released 50 per cent funds and five different tenders were issued and some of them have been opened. The evaluation process is near completion and there would be a purchase/upgrade of 386 items.

It was pointed out that tenders for the construction of University Road from Hassan Square to Nipa, NED to Safoora Chowrangi, construction of Tariq Road from Shaheed-i-Millat Road to Shahrah-i-Qauideen, construction of Hub River Road (remaining portion), construction of Surjani to Madinatul Hikmat Road and widening of Sharea Faisal had been completed and work awarded. Only signing of agreement was still due and that would be done by the second week of this month.

The meeting was informed that the pre-qualification notices for the construction of Drigh Colony flyover, construction of Manzil Pump Flyover at N-5 Karachi and construction of underpass at Submarine Chowrangi had been published in newspapers. The chief minister said slow pace of work was not acceptable to him. He directed the officials concerned that pre-qualification process must be completed at the earliest.

He was further informed that work on roads in the Red Zone — Teen Talwar to Metropole, Ch. Khaliqzaman Intersection, and Metropole to Zainab Market — had already been completed.

Mr Shah directed the chief secretary to order reconstruction of the road in front of Governor House and towards Sindh Secretariat and the road opposite the Chief Secretary House. “I want this entire portion be reconstructed and beautified,” he said.

He sought report on the reconstruction of Elfie Street. “Its condition is quite precarious with overflowing gutters in the area,” he said, asking the city commissioner to wake up the DMC concerned to clean it and report.

Those attended the Karachi package review meeting included Minister Local Government Jam Khan Shoro, Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon, Additional Chief Secretary (Development) M. Waseem, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Naveed Kamran Baloch, Finance Secretary Hassan Naqvi, PD Karachi Package Niaz Soomro and his team members and other officers concerned.

Earlier during a visit to the New Sindh Secretariat on Friday morning, the chief minister took serious notice of the absence of most of the officers including food secretary and directed his principal secretary to seek explanation from all relevant officials for their failure to turn up on duty in time. “I believe in punctuality, if officer cannot reach his office up to 9.30am he needs to sit home rather than performing duty,” he said.

While addressing a delegation of 40 trainee assistant superintendent of police at the New Sindh Secretariat, the chief minister said there were a lot of challenges for the young police officers after the completion of training.

He said the government was spending over Rs61 billion to maintain law and order in the province. “Now we are working to establish a forensic lab and developing safe city by installing 6,000 CCTV cameras,” he said, adding that it was the will of the government, support of citizens and sacrifices of our police officials, the Rangers and other agencies that peace was restored to the city.

He asked the trainee officers to play their role in changing the Thana culture to make police stations public friendly.

Rs5.337bn power dues

Meanwhile, the finance secretary with chief minister’s approval released the first instalment of Rs4.5 billion out of Rs27 billion arrears and Rs837 million of current bill to the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) and Sukkur Electric Power Company (Sepco).

The Sindh government released a total of Rs5.337 billion electricity dues to Hesco and Sepco, said Energy Secretary Agha Wasif and Finance Secretary Hassan Naqvi during a meeting with the chief minister.

The energy secretary said a reconciliation policy was being pursued after it was decided at a meeting between federal minister for water and power Khwaja Asif and the chief minister that the total amount of dues outstanding till July 2016 was Rs27 billion, which would be paid in six instalments.

The chief minister directed the officials to ensure that after the payment of all the six instalments, no arrears till July 2016 would be remaining. He asked the chief secretary to issue necessary instructions to all the departments, including local government, to pay their electricity bills on time.

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2016