Cost of long-delayed sewage treatment project jumps nearly five times

Published October 8, 2015
Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan presides over a meeting on the Greater Karachi Sewage Treatment project at Governor House on Wednesday.—APP
Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan presides over a meeting on the Greater Karachi Sewage Treatment project at Governor House on Wednesday.—APP

KARACHI: The cost of the Greater Karachi Sewage Treatment Project, better known as the S-III project, which is funded by the federal and provincial governments, has increased from Rs8 billion to Rs39 billion due to a delay in its completion, it emerged on Wednesday.

The revised cost was disclosed during a meeting on the S-III project held at Governor House. Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan, who chaired the meeting, sought “effective steps without any further delay” to complete the project and asked the stakeholders concerned to play their due roles in this regard.

The governor called for “undertaking effective steps without any further delay to help check environmental pollution,” said a statement issued after the meeting in which he was briefed about the S-III project for Karachi.

“Owing to disposal of untreated water into the sea, the environmental pollution has increased that obviously increases threat to lives of many. The S-III project was actually designed considering such emerging challenges of environment.”

The governor was quoted as saying that because of the delay in execution of the project, the project cost had enhanced and it was now crucial that there should not be any further delay.

“All the stakeholders — federal and provincial governments as well as the Karachi Port Trust — should take initiative and play their due role in completing this key project,” the statement quoted the governor as saying.

It was in October 2014 when Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah had constituted a committee for early implementation on the K-4, S-III and other water projects while showing reservation that the completion of Greater Karachi Sewage Treatment Project |within its approved cost of Rs8 billion seemed difficult.

During the Wednesday meeting, the governor was informed that the project cost stood at Rs39.10 billion. Under this project, Rs21.82 billion had been set aside for Lyari River Basin and Rs17.28 billion for Malir River Basin, he was briefed.

“The meeting was informed that the PC-I of the project was approved by ECNEC in September 2007,” said the statement sharing facts about briefing to the Sindh governor. Under the contract, the federal and provincial governments agreed to equally share the cost. “However, as the work was not initiated [on time] the cost increased and it’s now estimated at Rs39,108.474 million.”

The meeting was told that the project design had been approved while work on Lyari River Basin had already been initiated, said the statement, adding after the completion of the S-III project some 500 million gallons of water would be treated and disposed of into the sea.

Muharram security

Later in the evening, the Sindh governor held separate meetings with Sunni and Shia clerics to review and discuss security and other arrangements during Muharram-ul-Haram so that sectarian harmony could be maintained during the first month of the Islamic calendar.

“Today’s meeting has been called to give the message of Muslim brotherhood and to make effective security arrangements with consultation of the clerics during Muharram,” the statement quoted the governor as saying.

“A few elements want to exploit the situation by triggering sectarian disharmony but these elements should not be supported. The law enforcement agencies are focused and doing their best for a lasting peace in Karachi.”

Published in Dawn, October 8th , 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

Follow Dawn Business on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for insights on business, finance and tech from Pakistan and across the world.

Opinion

Editorial

New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.
Ceasefire, finally
Updated 26 Mar, 2024

Ceasefire, finally

Palestinian lives matter, and a generation of orphaned Gazan children will be looking to the world community to secure justice for them.
Afghan return
26 Mar, 2024

Afghan return

FOLLOWING a controversial first repatriation phase involving ‘illegal’ Afghan refugees last November, the...
Planes and plans
26 Mar, 2024

Planes and plans

FOR the past many years, PIA has been getting little by way of good press, mostly on account of internal...