KARACHI, Feb 23: The city nazim, Niamatullah Khan, on Tuesday night signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Vatech - an Austrian firm - for installation of a water treatment plant in SITE area.

The MoU signing ceremony was held at the residence of the city nazim, and signed by the managing director KWSB, Brig Iftekhar Haider, Vatech representative Saleem Hashmi and the nazim himself.

The plant would be installed on BOT basis with an investment of Rs930 million. It would be handed over by the firm to the water board after 15 years of operation.

Under the agreement, water would be treated at treatment plant No 1 for industrial units in SITE area. About 20 mgd water would be supplied by the plant to industries after treatment. The plant is said to be the first of its kind in Pakistan.

Sewerage water will be treated as per specification of the World Health Organization; however, it would not be used in the production of medicines and food products, and would only be utilized for greenbelts and other industrial processes.

Mr Niamat said that water treated by Vatech would be sold to SITE at Rs82 per 1,000 gallons, adding that initially two per cent and later five per cent of the total revenue earned by the Austrian firm would be given to the city government.

With the treatment of water, no more sewerage will flow into the sea, thus protecting the environment and marine life. Purchase body: City nazim, Niamatullah Khan, has set up a committee for purchasing machinery and other medical equipment for the city diagnostic centre.

The committee will be headed by the medical superintendent, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Prof Masood Javed. Other members will include Dr Rasheed Ahmed, head of JPMC's Radiology department Dr Tariq, Dr Azimuddin, DO Planning Ali Hasan Abro and UC Nazim Saifuddin.

Meanwhile, the director of the city diagnostic centre project, Dr Shaukat Zaman, has said a meeting of the committee would soon be convened to finalize the list of equipment and invite tenders for the same. - APP/PPI