KARACHI, June 17: The City Government has chalked out an ambitious programme to control increasing pollution and carry out a facelift of the metropolis by developing parks and green belts to create healthy environmental conditions for the public.

This will be in addition to the arrangements of the City Government to supply seedlings to the people for planting during the “Grow More Trees” campaign to be launched in spring and autumn.

The City Nazim, Naimatullah Khan, who had paid a visit from Malir to the sea coast in early January, this year, told Dawn that besides local adopters for parks, efforts were also being made to attract parties from abroad to develop the beach area and amusement parks.

In this connection, he referred to a few Memorandum of Understandings signed recently by him on behalf of the City Government, including during his visit to Tehran. He said that this mega city of over 14 million severly lacks recreational spots.

He said that in addition to seeking cooperation from friendly countries, local avenues were also being explored for the adoption of parks and some had already committed to extend cooperation to the City Government in the development of gardens, parks and green belts. A park at the old Sabzimandi site, to be spread over 25 acres, would be a good example of such cooperation, as the park has been adopted by Army 5-Corps, he pointed out.

In addition to this, according to a report, a 20km-long road from airport to Steel Town on the National Highway is being developed by Pakistan Steel and plantation work is in progress.

Some of the selected parks and roads along with the names of adopters are: 5km-long portion of Boating Basin Park by the Export Processing Zone, development of a green belt along 10kms on University Road and 2kms on Stadium Road by the Southern Sui Gas Co. It is also committed to developing 286 acres of Safari Park in cooperation with the National Bank of Pakistan which is also carrying out plantation on 12kms of Rashid Minhas Road and 27 acres along street nos 2 and 3 in Block 4, Federal B. Area.

The Fish Harbour Authority has extended cooperation for development of 4kms on Sharea Quaideen. The Bohri community has adopted a 5-acre park in Block 8, Clifton, and a 4-acre park at Nazimabad.

The Ziauddin Medical University/Hospital has shown interest in developing a 6-acre park at Block F, Clifton; M/s Indus Pharma, M/s Vikar and M/s Raja Group of Industries have expressed interest in plantation on 8,000 Road in Landhi.