KARACHI, Nov 27: Nine dump trucks and nine refuse vans were handed over on Wednesday to the 18 towns of Karachi by the city government.

With the handing over of these trucks and vans, the total worth of sanitary equipment handed over to the Town Nazimeen under the Khushhal Pakistan Programme has come to Rs117 million.

Naimatullah Khan, the City Nazim, presided over the ceremony at which the vehicles were presented to the Nazimeen.

Mr Paracha on the occasion said the handing over of the sanitary equipment showed that the KPP had moved beyond slogans and into the nitty-gritty of serious work. He said every vehicle taken over by a town represented both a privilege and also a responsibility.

“Owning a special sanitary vehicle is a privilege because by having such a vehicle you don’t need to procure it from others. But owning such a vehicle is also a commitment because it becomes your duty to keep them in good use most of the time.

“You should maintain them properly too.” He also spoke of the improvements in the area of solid waste management.

Naimatullah Khan presented the vehicles’ documents and keys to the Nazimeen. In his speech he said at the city government’s inception, a promise had been made to keep Karachi green and clean.

“However, it was soon felt that the cleanliness campaign had floundered. When we asked the Town Nazimeen the reason, they said most of the sanitary equipment had become unserviceable.”

Mr Khan said the city government had provided Rs2 million to each town so that the faulty vehicles and equipment could be repaired. In addition, he said, new sanitary equipment was also presented to them.