KARACHI, Oct 20: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan has called for planning a modern city in the Hawkesbay Scheme-42 of the city.

He said this while speaking during a visit to various areas of Hawkesbay on Wednesday. "This scheme is our priority where there are also projects of low-cost housing," the governor remarked.

He said the government of Sindh, the Board of Revenue, the city government and other organizations that owned land should plan a modern city there. Dr Ibad said a modern city there would be very much viable.

He said that in a sprawling city like Karachi, this locality met the requirements of any modern scheme.

The governor invited the attention of the officials of the Board of Revenue, the city government as well as of the police towards the encroachments in the area and directed them to remove them and also see that no such things came up in the days ahead.

He also warned that stringent possible action would be initiated against those found responsible for encroachments.

Dr Ibad said that this was a very precious land and safeguarding it was the basic responsibility of the organizations concerned.

He stated that this scheme would be monitored and reviewed from time to time.

The governor said: "We have dedicated manpower which has expertise in undertaking such a gigantic task."

Dr Ishratul Ibad said that with regard to the Lyari Resettlement activities there were difficult phases yet those responsible were performing this job properly.

He announced that any hurdles in the way of its takeoff would be removed as the government was fully concentrating on this scheme.

He was of the view that this area could be developed on the pattern of Defence and Clifton.

The governor said that the government was fully committed to removing the bottlenecks in the way of this scheme. He said this very scheme would be fully activated.

Regarding the provision of water, he announced that the managing-director of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board had already been directed that there should be allocation for this scheme in the K-3 project.

He said work had already been initiated on the desalination plant. Dr Ibad was of the view that the government would take major decisions to dedicate the access road to this scheme. Earlier, Project Director Shafiqur Rehman Paracha welcomed the governor.

He shed light on the significance of this schemes as well as its prime location.

Mr Paracha said that problems such as water, electricity and access road should be taken care of.

He said the government had made commitment to 40,000 families some 15 years ago and vowed to fulfil the same under the patronage of the Sindh governor.

Earlier, the governor was briefed on the renovation, improvement and widening of the Hawkesbay Road from Grax Village to Hawkesbay Beach.

The 8.5-kilometre road would be completed before June 2006 at an estimated cost of Rs148.88 million. - APP