METRO MAILBAG

Published January 7, 2014

Cinema culture is back

Sir,

Many new cinemas have been built in Karachi within a short period. These cinemas are screening 2D and 3D movies with amazing sound and ambience. The ticket prices are a bit high but the time spent is worth every rupee. It appears the city’s culture is changing. Now, everyone wants to go to the cinema and watch their favourite movie.

In this regard, it is welcome that a new cinema has opened up near Ayesha Manzil. The cinema caters not only to the people of Federal B Area, but also people from Garden, Nazimabad and Gulshan-i-Iqbal come here to watch movies.

Let us hope that the government will keep supporting investors and the people will have more cinemas to visit like they used to in the late 1970s, when there were 110 cinemas running with full occupancy in the city.

HUSSAIN ALI

Federal B Area

Shifting of wires

Sir,

In the Sindhi Jamaat Cooperative Housing Society, situated on the main National Highway (near Jogi Morr, Malir), 11,000 volts’ electric wires have been installed adjacent to houses in addition to normal supply wires, which are creating problems for the residents. The old normal electric wires keep breaking and so there is fear that the 11,000 volts’ wires may also break, putting people’s lives at risk.

The heavy-duty wires should be shifted to the nearby space available between the double road where electric poles have recently been installed. The old electric wires should also be replaced with new ones to ensure safety of the residents.

RESIDENTS OF THE SOCIETY

Karachi

Saving the conocarpus erectus

Sir,

When I came back to Karachi after two years in 2011, amidst the strikes, the unrest, the squalor and the overflowing drains there was a solitary force which seemed to be beautifying the city: it was the conocarpus erectus, the trees that you see on Sharea Faisal, in the islands of University Road and in the circular patches next to the landings of overhead bridges.

The fast-growing tree has transformed Karachi from a desolate desert to a place which looks semi-tropical. As one is travelling down University Road, the canopy of trees and the shade they offer is a spectacle similar to scenes more familiar to England or Brazil.

In addition, the pollution of Karachi is noticeably reduced. It is encouraging to see more saplings of this tree now in the Saddar area and other places as well. My concern is that these trees are being hacked and laid bare in some places (old Sabzi Mandi for example) for whatever reason. I suggest that the authorities take notice of this and immediately stop the murder of these trees, which have given new life to Karachi amongst all the death.

The trees do tend to grow very fast and block the view of commercial areas and U-turns. Proper pruning and management of this remarkable resource can remedy this problem.

SYED IMRAN SAQIB

Gulshan-i-Iqbal

Defective PMT

Sir,

Some time ago some unknown miscreants damaged the PMT located near Allah Rakha Park, Kharadar.

This was replaced by the KESC with another PMT, which has a defective breaker. Whenever tripping occurs this PMT does not turn on automatically. But when KESC staffers are called to turn it on the process takes an hour or more because after the complaint has been registered on 118 they send a message to the office near Fisheries about 5km away from Kharadar.

Due to load-shedding this practice occurs three times daily. Many complaints have been lodged with the office concerned and the KESC personnel say they have also complained to the higher authority about the problem but to no avail.

The KESC authorities are requested to resolve this perennial problem on a priority basis so that the area people can get some relief.

MOHAMMED AMIN

Jaffar Fuddu Road

Kharadar

mailbag@dawn.com

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