KARACHI, May 27: The city government has concluded agreements for installation of two desalination plants in Karachi while two more are in the offing, after which Karachi will get additional 150 to 200 mgd water. An agreement has also been signed with an Austrian firm for sewerage water recycling plant. This recycled water will be used in garment factories.

This was said by the City Nazim, Niamatullah Khan, at the foundation stone laying ceremony of Sirajuddaula Road in UC-7 of Jamshed Town on Thursday night. The road would be constructed at a cost of Rs2.6 million and completed in one month.

The nazim also announced that a bridge would be constructed over Malir River to connect Korangi with Shah Faisal Colony.

Speaking to the gathering, Mr Niamat said the Karachi city government was the only local government in Pakistan, which had given Rs3.5 million to all UC nazims in its first year, and Rs6.4 million in the second and third years to enable them to carry out development schemes in their respective areas.

He declared that in the next year too, UC nazims would be given Rs6.4 million each, adding that funds for the purpose had been earmarked in the 2005-06 city budget.

The city nazim said as part of efforts to improve the transport system, new buses were being inducted. So far 250 new buses had come on the roads while another 250 would be introduced in the next two months.

Furthermore, he said the city government had carved out six corridors for train service. An agreement had also been signed with an American firm for the construction of one of them, while five more such agreements would be concluded, he added.

Niamat announced that low-cost housing schemes would also be started.

He continued to say that 32,000 jobs had been provided in the Northern Bypass project and more would be made available in the UTS and other projects.

In the health sector, the nazim said Karachi’s second biggest hospital for heart diseases would soon be inaugurated in the Federal B Area, besides 10 chest pain centres at various places.

He said Karachi contributed 70 per cent to the federal exchequer. “Its development is the development of Pakistan. All people living in Pakistan wish to see Karachi as an ideological city,” he stated.

The ceremony was also addressed by MPA Nasrullah Shajjee and UC Nazim Zahid Saeed.

Special children: Niamatullah Khan has said special children could be made an active member of society by efforts of parents and teachers together.

“The rehabilitation of special children is the responsibility of the entire society,” he said while speaking at a training seminar held at the school for special children set up at PAF Korangi Creek.

The city nazim said parents should not consider special children a burden, and accept them with wholeheartedness as a will of Allah. Coordinated efforts should be made for their rehabilitation.

He emphasised the need for creating awareness among people in making special children and people a useful segment of society.

He said institutions and people who were rendering service for the cause of special children and people deserved all appreciation.

Niamat said that with the fear of Allah and the concept of life hereafter, a responsibility lay on all healthy and influential people to play their role for the rehabilitation of special people. He exhorted teachers to consider every special child as their own.

The nazim noted the need for trained teachers for rehabilitating special children and people.

Earlier, Air Commodore Nadeem Yusuf informed that centres for rehabilitation of special children were being established at all PAF bases.

In schools as well, he said, that opportunities had been provided for vocational training of special children.

In her welcome address, Begum Nadeem Yusuf said the centre for special children at the PAF Base Korangi Creek had been established to fulfil the noble objective of rehabilitation of special children.—APP