KARACHI: The coordination committee on federal projects in Sindh on Saturday proposed to allow the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) as a policy formulation organisation while for operational purposes there would be separate autonomous bodies on district/divisional level, including Karachi.

A similar arrangement was also proposed for the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA).

This emerged in a meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah here at the CM House.

The meeting was attended by federal ministers Asad Umar and Aminul Haq, provincial ministers Saeed Ghani, Nasir Shah, Corps Commander Lt General Humayun Aziz, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, and other relevant officials.

The coordination committee while discussing cleanliness of storm-water drains concluded that they would remain choked until an efficient system of garbage lifting was evolved in the city.

A revised PC-I for K-IV is being prepared in view of increasing cost

It was pointed out that due to the improper lifting of garbage from roads, the garbage thrown in the nullahs choked them resulting in urban flooding.

Keeping in view these factors, the meeting proposed to the provincial government to allow the SSWMB to function as a policymaking organisation while all the divisional headquarters may have separate and autonomous bodies responsible for lifting, sweeping, door-to-door collection, transportation of garbage to the garbage transfer stations and then to landfill sites.

In this proposed arrangement, Karachi, Hyderabad, Larkana, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas and Shaheed Benazirabad would have separate solid waste management bodies for keeping the cities clean.

422 dangerous buildings

The meeting was told that there were 422 dangerous buildings in the city but the buildings which collapsed during the last few months were constructed illegally.

The stoppage of illegal constructions or buildings was necessary to save lives. Therefore, the meeting proposed to the provincial government to allow the SBCA to serve as a policymaking organisation while Karachi, Hyderabad and divisions may have separate autonomous bodies for building control.

It was also pointed out that every new constructing should have a specific lifespan and in case of its collapse before completion of its life the builder should be held responsible.

The chief minister said that the provincial government would consider the proposal of the coordination committee favourably.

The committee discussed the matter of removal of encroachment along the embankments of major nullahs.

When the issue of the width of nullahs and the size of embankments emerged, the meeting proposed to appoint a consultant to design the nullah as per the master plan and submit a report so that encroachments could be removed.

Meanwhile, the meeting decided to work out a detailed plan for rehabilitation of people living along nullahs.

K-IV being modified

The meeting was told that the PC-I of the K-IV water supply project was being changed/modified because its construction cost had increased considerably.

Planning and Development chairman Muhammad Waseem said that the revised PC-I was being prepared in coordination with the KWSB and the ministry of water.

It was also pointed that the Wapda chairman along with his team would visit the K-IV site on Nov 5 for further action.

The completion of the K-IV project has been assigned to the federal government while augmentation works would be carried out by the provincial government.

The advocate general Sindh was directed to get the stay orders vacated so that impediments in the completion of K-IV could be removed.

The meeting was told that the local government department was working to check whether the capacity of additional water supply from Haleji could be enhanced from 65MGD to 130MGD.

NESPAK was conducting a study regarding the availability of water which was being expedited, he added.

The chief minister directed the LG department/water board to take immediate remedial actions with regard to improving the existing water supply mechanism and curbing the menace of illegal connections/hydrants.

The LG minister said that work on curbing the “menace of valve man” to improve the existing water supply system was in progress.

The meeting also agreed to enhance the capacity of the Thado dam to secure water losses and to avert flash floods during heavy rains.

Published in Dawn, November 1st, 2020