KARACHI, Oct 1: Sindh Minister for Local Government and Katchi Abadies Muhammad Hussain Khan has underlined the need of maintaining close coordination among all departments and wings of local government.

He said that local government department should become an example for other departments by its performance, because the development of the province largely depended on local government department. He directed for transparent and judicious use of development funds in the interest of the masses.

To achieve this goal, he observed, the officers of the department would have to discharge their duties with utmost devotion and dedication. He further said that the problems being confronted by various wings of the department would be taken up with the authorities concerned and an amicable solution would be found as early as possible.

Additional Chief Secretary Local Government Mirza Karim Baig pointed out that due to non-availability of any binding law, district, governments and town municipal administrations were reluctant to comply with the directives of local government department, because of which the department was unable to exercise its control over these administrations.

Briefing the minister, Special Secretary (Housing and Town Planning) Raeesuddin Paracha said that the Karachi Building Control Authority in compliance of the orders of Supreme Court of Pakistan was conducting the survey of buildings to ascertain their nature of strength and resistance against an earthquake.

He further said that the governing bodies of Malir Development Authority and Hyderabed Development Authority had been finalised while the same of Lyari Development Authority was in the process of finalisation.

He said that it had been decided that all government offices would now be required to seek permission from the KBCA before constructing a building or office in the city, which would result in proper and sound construction of structures.

He said that land in eight districts of Sindh had been identified for low-cost housing schemes for the poor and government employees while a high-rise zone in costal belt in Clifton had also been identified.

Special Secretary (Technical) Local Government Ghulam Arif Khan said that a summary for the change of name of the department to Local Government, Katchi Abadis and Housing and Town Planning Department has been moved so as to reflect the true nature and working of the department.

The director-general of Sindh Katchi Abadies Authority, Mir Nasir Abbas, said that out of total 1293 Katchi Abadis in Sindh, there were 539 Katchi Abadis in Karachi from which 278 were under the city district government. He further said that Sindh Katchi Abadies Authority had taken up 72 Katchi Abadis in Karachi, 135 in Hyderabad, 33 Sukkur and 34 in Larkana for regularisation.

He said that the authority was successfully running a low-cost housing scheme “Sasti Basti”, in Jamshoro, Thatta, Sukkur, Larkana, and Jacobabad while the authority also planned to extend the scheme to 18 more districts.

Iqbal Ehsan Zaidi, Muhammad Siddique Jalalani, Fazal A. Nizamani, Dr Siknadar Ali Panwar and Muhammad Zamir Siddiqui also spoke.—APP