KARACHI, Feb 7: The District Coordination Officer, Mir Hussain Ali, has expressed concern over sewage overflow at main roads and service roads in many areas of the city, besides dilapidated roads. In a communication to EDO (Sanitation and Water Group) , the DCO observed that most disheartening fact was the total lack of response by the officials concerned.

In spite of a heavy establishment, whose jurisdiction and beats had been specified, no official of the department was present during the Sindh governor's visit, the DCO pointed out.

The most torturous aspect of this neglect, he said, was the vulnerability of the recently-reconstructed and repaired city roads, on which billions of rupees had been spent during the last four years through the Khushhal Pakistan Programme and other developmental heads.

"Unless we endeavour for a perfect situation, we will not be able to neutralize the possibility of criticism on the conditions of roads in Karachi," he pointed in the communication.

He called for necessary coordination with the Town Municipal Administrations in this regard so that they could also be involved in this exercise.

He recalled that the President of Pakistan, during his last visit to Karachi, had given 15 days time for repair of all roads by the city government, irrespective of the ownership of the roads.

He said as we had been claiming at all forums that the repair work had been completed, the existence of dilapidated roads in the city could not be justified and caused a lot of embarrassment.

He told the EDO to immediately conduct an extensive visit of the city and rectify the situation on priority basis.

He told the EDO that in view of his past experience, it was expected that the response level and working of the group would improve.

He further told the EDO to chalk out an action plan for making the field offices responsive and effective in this regard.-PPI/APP