Karachi mayor allocates Rs100,000 monthly to UCs for manhole covers, streetlights

A week after death of a toddler after falling into an open manhole in Gulshan-e-Iqbal area, Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Monday announced that every union committee (UC) will be given Rs100,000 monthly specifically for manhole covers and streetlights.

The decision has ostensibly been taken amid anger and calls from citizens for covering the manholes to avoid more deaths of children.

Under the previous system, every UC was given Rs500,000 monthly, the mayor said, adding that the primary purpose of that amount was to solve local neighbourhood issues.

While many UCs utilised the funds correctly, complaints were received from several areas that the amount was insufficient or was spent on salaries, he said.

Body of child who fell into Karachi manhole recovered

Then, he said, they presented this matter to the leadership, and the Sindh government subsequently increased the amount to Rs1.2 million.

“This money was provided to resolve everyday issues, but unfortunately, the expected results were not achieved,” Murtaza said.

He said, following the Nipa tragedy, it has been decided that Rs100,000 per month will be allocated to every UC only for manhole covers and streetlights.

“This amount will be released to every Union Committee starting from December so that these issues can be resolved effectively,” he maintained.

A day after the Nipa tragedy, rescue officials had recovered body of the child, who fell into the manhole in the night on November 30.

Rescue 1122, Edhi and other rescue organisations had participated in the operations to recover the 3-year-old boy’s body.

The Edhi Information Bureau had reported that the child’s body was brought to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) for medico-legal formalities.