KARACHI, May 1: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad has said that the Schon Circle underpass in Clifton area should be constructed keeping in view the convenience of people.

According to a statement issued here on Saturday, the governor has taken notice of the objections raised by experts with regard to the design of the project, and called for paying attention to this aspect.

On the directive of the governor, the statement said, his Principal Secretary, Brig (r) Akhtar Zamin, chaired a meeting, which was attended by the consultant of the project and officials of the Karachi Port Trust and Frontier Works Organization, at the Governor’s House.

The participants were apprised of the reservations expressed by the governor and the experts.

Brig Zamin quoted the governor as stressing on alternative routes before starting work on the project. He impressed upon the officials to ensure clear and prompt implementation of the governor’s directives in this regard.

It was decided at the meeting that the concerned officials would submit within 10 days a design of the underpass that would have provisions of all necessary requirements. The same would then be presented to the governor for approval.

Brig Zamin made it clear that development projects should be meant for providing better facilities to people, and not for causing inconvenience to them.

“We should keep in mind the present day, as well as the future requirements,” he told the participants.

MARINE PULLUTION: The Sindh governor on Saturday ordered that a comprehensive plan to check marine pollution be chalked out.

Presiding over a meeting at the Governor’s House to review the increasing pollution in coastal areas, Dr Ishratul Ibad observed that there was no coordination among different department and agencies related to marine affairs. Hence, there is no coordinated system in place to keep the coastal areas tidy and clean.

He ordered formation of a committee, to be led by the additional chief secretary of local bodies with the task of preparing a coordinated plan in this regard in collaboration with the related departments within the next 15 days.

It would be made binding on the city government to implement the plan in collaboration with stake-holders, the governor said.

Resolving the issue of sewerage water discharge and garbage disposal in the sea should be made integral part of the proposed plan, he said, adding that all ships and boats should be made to observe the rules on checking marine pollution.

He told the meeting that the government was considering the setting up of five treatment plants in the city. He said that 75 per cent of the cost of these plants would be borne by the government and the rest by stakeholders.

Dr Ibad described saving the sea from pollution as the need of the hour, maintaining that it an important element of the national economy. He also ordered safety measures to be taken for beach-goers, and said that in this regard, an awareness campaign should be initiated, besides keeping divers, lifeguards and other security officials at the beach on alert.

The governor directed the officials to ensure protection to mangroves forests which played an important role in coping with natural disasters.

The meeting noted that the areas having mangroves forests had suffered lesser destruction when tsunami hit certain regions of Asia as against those without mangroves.

Those who attended the meeting were Adviser on Local Bodies Waseem Akhtar, EDO Raeesuddin Paracha, Shahida Kausar Farooq, base commander Korangi Creek, Keamari town nazim and officials of various departments related to coastal area development.—APP/P