KARACHI, Nov 29: With the provision of basic civic facilities to the people, Karachi can become a healthy city, says a report identifying water supply and sanitation, solid waste management, transportation and education as the main issues which need to be given importance.

The Healthy City Karachi Research Project Report, prepared by three students of University of Karachi, said that the lack of basic facilities had resulted in the deterioration in law and order situation in Karachi, with a feeling of insecurity among people.

The report said a healthy city could be described as a city that invested in the well-being of its people, improved its environment and expanded its resources so that citizens could support each other in achieving their highest potential.

Referring to the lack of coordination among various civic agencies, the report suggested that a healthy city task force be formed which could provide a forum to NGOs, individuals, academia and government agencies to sit together and start a process to make the city healthy.

It suggested that the healthy city office be set up under the auspices of mayor’s office so that it could play a pivotal role in running the affairs of the city.

They said that the city had been run by an appointed administrator instead of an elected local council before introduction of devolution plan.

The report highlighted the inequalities, which had led to frustration among masses saying that on one hand some private hospitals provided medical facilities equivalent to those available in the developed countries and on the other, newly-born in some government hospitals were reportedly attacked by cats.

The research report said that a majority of the people had become frustrated because their problems had not been solved for a long time and they had lost hope for any change in the situation.

The report pointed out that recently, a petrol station had started functioning on green belt whereas another one was set to emerge in a residential area without prompting any objection from the people.

Tariq Khan of the York University, Toronto Canada, who was assisted by his two university fellows — Mehreen Wadiwala and Tanya Anand —- prepared the report after a three-month research during which they met nine focal groups.

An NGO, Shehri, and the Aga Khan University assisted the research team here. —PPI