KARACHI, May 7: The city nazim, Syed Mustafa Kamal, has ordered that cleaning of storm-water drains be further accelerated and not only city's 63 major drains be completely cleaned before monsoons with increased machinery and manpower, but also arrangements be made for cleaning of small drains at the town's level.

In this regard, he said that the Municipal Services Group of Offices, KWSB and concerned towns should act collectively so that drains in all the areas were cleaned on time.

He was speaking at a review meeting of Municipal Services Group of Offices here on Monday. The nazim said that action be carried out keeping in view the experiments of last season.

This year, he observed, the situation was expected to get better as arrangements had been made for cleaning of drains ahead of the monsoons. Mr Kamal said that besides procurement of heavy machinery, a regular drainage system was also being laid.

The EDO municipal services in a briefing informed that the department had carried out drains cleaning work during the month of April and so far the city government saved an amount of Rs9.6 million by using departmental machinery which the department, otherwise, would have incurred this amount in case of hiring the same.

He informed that drains in Saddar, Jamshed, Lyari, Site, North Nazimabad, New Karachi, Landhi and Korangi towns had been cleaned.

The official said that cleaning of various roads was also in progress under municipal services department and was in addition to cleaning work being done by towns and UCs.

He told the briefing that prior to April 10, this cleaning work was done through private sector for which Rs7 million were paid for lifting of 20,000 tons of garbage, Rs1.7 million on account of cleaning of KWSB's storm-water drains and Rs0.9 mill

ion for cleaning of roads and this entire amount was saved after procurement of heavy machinery by the city government.—APP