ISLAMABAD, Sept 16: The Sindh government has decided to repair and upgrade Karachi’s crumbling water and sewerage infrastructure with Japanese financial assistance.

Official sources said that the provincial government has submitted its plan, aimed at addressing acute water and sewage problems of the mega city, to the Centre for approval.

Tokyo has been requested to consider an integrated plan of drainage and sewerage system for the city.

A study has been conducted to also incorporate new areas to be developed for residential, commercial and industrial purposes. Issues concerning area-based management, integration of water supply and sewerage, corporatisation of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) and ongoing pipeline projects and integrated plans of drainage and sewerage system have also been included in the study.

The Planning and Development Department of Sindh informed the Planning Commission that previous master plan studies for water supply and sewerage services were based on the city’s need up to 2003 and did not cater/ address the ever-growing needs of water and proper waste disposal and treatment.

The Sindh government had informed the Japanese government that it was conducting a study to prepare a master plan which would be valid till 2025. In this behalf, the provincial government said, it would conduct a feasibility study for priority projects selected in the master plan and pursue technology-transfer from Japan.

A number of issues concerning water and sewerage system for Karachi had been discussed between the government of Sindh and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The study will consolidate findings of previous studies implemented under the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) aided programme, proposals for new works under Tameer-e-Karachi Programme and supplement these studies with surveys, investigations, planning proposals.

The scope of work on water supply and sewerage system in Karachi has been discussed between the officials of the Sindh government and the JICA officials who recently visited Pakistan.

Both sides had agreed that reasons for partial implementation of the former master plans (Karachi Development Plan, Water Supply Master Plan-1995 and Sewerage Master Plan—-1988) would be identified.