KARACHI, Dec 28: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad has issued directive for taking effective steps for carrying out cleanliness work and eliminating encroachments in the entire city on a priority basis.

Addressing nazims of all towns of Karachi at the Governor’s House on Wednesday, Dr Ibad expressed dissatisfaction over sanitary conditions in most parts of the city.

“Karachi is the world’s seventh biggest city and Pakistan’s important economic, social, cultural and intellectual centre. Whatever good or bad occurs here, casts a direct impact on the whole country and its population,” he observed.

He told the nazims that a great responsibility devolved upon them in this regard. Their better performance will spur promotion of investment and uplift activities in every sector.

In this regard, the governor assured the provincial and local governments of his every cooperation.

Dr Ibad said that after their election as town nazims, they might have taken some time to understand the system, but now they were fully conversant with it and should proceed forward.

Cleanliness is something that is always visible and concerns every citizen. It is very easy to maintain cleanliness if there is a will, and very difficult if otherwise.

The governor suggested the need for introducing sweeping of roads in night hours to avoid hampering people’s day time activities. He described the outsourcing of sanitation works as a good decision, but asked the town nazims not to wait for this and continue to perform their duties so that the situation did not worsen and garbage dumps did not pile up.

Giving his own example, the governor said he himself had supervised lifting of garbage by standing on roads and streets. He impressed upon the nazims to work with dedication and team spirit.

“If you will remain active, people would also get mobilized and extend their cooperation to you.”

Regarding sanitation workers’ performance, he said punitive action be taken against those who dump garbage on roads and other places instead of taking it away to the designated landfill sites. He asked police to keep an eye on such elements. He also issued directive for initiating legal action against ghost employees.

Dr Ibad emphasised on a constant vigil to check encroachments and said town nazims could very well identify such places in their respective areas.

He also told nazims to maintain liaison with city nazim and to work with team spirit for achieving progress in every sector.

He issued directive for cleanliness, greenery, lighting and beautification on both sides of Toll Plaza-Sohrab Goth section of Super Highway and to complete the work expeditiously.

Dr Ibad called for special planning, keeping in view the upcoming Eidul Azha, for ensuring cleanliness and hygienic conditions.

City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal said that sanitation work in all the towns would be handed over to private sector from February 15. He said machinery worth Rs650 million was being purchased, and this would double the garbage-lifting capacity.

He said every Town was being provided an amount of Rs50 million for improving water supply and sewerage system in their respective jurisdictions. Illegal and ugly-shaped hoardings were being removed, he said, adding this system would be brought under some regulation.—APP