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KARACHI, June 7: City Nazim, Naimatullah Khan, has directed the officials of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board to repair the main water pipeline leakages identified by the elected representatives of Orangi Town within a week.
He also directed that emergency measures be taken to control water contamination.
He said this while addressing Nazims, Naib Nazims and Councillors of Union Councils of Orangi Town at Orangi Council Hall, on Friday. DCO Shafique Rahman Paracha and MD KWSB, Brig Bahram Khan were also present.
The Nazim Orangi, Shahid Alam; DCO Karachi, Shafiqur Rehman Paracha; MD Water Board, Brig Behram Khan and other officials were also present.
On the occasion, the Nazims, Naib Nazims and Councillors of 13 UCs pin-pointed water problems and proposed solutions.
The Councillors informed that they themselves had plugged at least 500 leakages. They said that projects worth millions of rupees are lying incomplete, whereas over 4,000 illegal water connections have been identified which need to be disconnected. They also complained about the negligent attitude of valvemen.
They said that previously also meetings were held but the decisions taken therein were never implemented.
Naimatullah Khan said that now the minutes of meetings are being regularly recorded and the decisions taken would be implemented.
He informed that next week, the water board engineers will again hold a meeting with the councillors and find out solution to problems.
He said that to protest against the unavailability of water is the right of the people. But if they don’t pay tax, such organizations will be rendered serviceless. It is, therefore, the responsibility of the people to pay dues outstanding against them. He assured that they would have the facility to pay dues in easy instalments.
PROPERTY TAX: The City government has decided to launch a campaign for the recovery of property tax in the city.
According to City Government sources, the steps to be taken during the campaign for the recovery of tax include the arrest of defaulters, confiscation of property and auction of properties.
A spokesman advised the people to deposit their tax by June 25 to escape fines and arrests.
MOU SIGNED: The City Government and City Trading and Contracting Company of Qatar have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for construction of a water and amusement park at Bagh-i-Ibne Qasim in the coastal area of Karachi.
The project would cost about US$ 200 million. The MoU was signed by City Nazim Naimatullah Khan and veteran leader of Pakistan movement, Yousuf Haroon, on behalf of the Qatari company.
The Qatar-based company would prepare a master plan and feasibility report of the project in three months and after that, final agreement would be signed for execution of the project, said a press release.—APP/PPI
