Sindh cabinet on Saturday decided to liquidate Thatta and Dadu sugar mills to save the government from further losses that these two units are incurring. Chief Minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim was in the chair. These two mills had been put up for sale many times in the past but could not fetch the price expected.
During this period many of the valuable parts and machinery have either been stolen or have become rusted. As a consequence, these mills have lost much of their attractiveness for investors, the cabinet noted. A decision to sell these units through auction is likely to be the priority of the government.
Adviser to Chief Minister to Sindh on Information and Archives Salahuddin Haider, while briefing newsmen at his office, said that the process of liquidation would be hastened to save further deterioration of these two units.
The cabinet also decided to take up the decades-old land dispute with Military Lands and Cantonments Department and the Defence Housing Authority for the payment at market rates 240.50 acres reclaimed land belonging to Sindh government. The cabinet considered various options for the settlement of the dispute with DHA, and set up a committee comprising senior member of thr Board of Revenue and senior member Land Utilisation. They would negotiate with DHA a compromise formula for settlement of the dispute.
DHA view is that the reclaimed land belongs to federal government and the claim of Sindh government is untenable.
In the first instance, the ownership of Sindh government is to be established, and then the issue of pricing would be taken up. What would be the market price is another ticklish issue that is to be looked into, Haider said, and added that "it is our land and we should get its cost".
The cabinet reviewed the ongoing land disposal activity by Pakistan Railways and decided to claim its share from the sale proceeds.
The cabinet gave its approval to the formula agreed between the Sindh government officials and the Railways officials to share the sale proceeds in 60:40 ratio--Sindh government would get 40 percent and the railways would retain 60 percent. To ensure transparency, Sindh government representatives will be on the sale/auction/disposal committee of Pakistan Railways.
To tide over water shortage in the Site area the cabinet decided to set up a ''water recycling plant'' at the 100-acre Gutterbaghicha land. The contract would be awarded to an Austrian firm, Vatech Wabag. The Karachi Water & Sewerage Board would supervise execution of the contract. The plant would recycle 16 mgd to 20 mgd wastewater, which would be made available for industrial use at Rs 80 per 1000 gallons.
The cabinet reviewed working of the Sindh Planning and Development Department and found out that the department was overloaded with extensive planning of development schemes.
The cabinet decided to appoint consultants from the private sector on competitive market-based terms to ease the workload on the P&D and to develop state-of-the-art development programmes.
However, to work out details of this proposal a committee comprising Finance Minister Sardar Ahmed, Minister Nadir Akmal Leghari and Additional Chief Secretary of the P&D has been set up.
Haider said that gross irregularities in the Zila Nazim office of Hyderabad had come to notice.
It had been reported that the military land that was given to Sindh Government in Hyderabad for developing low cost housing units had been allotted for petrol pump and CNG filling station. At the same time, portion of the land had been put to other commercial uses. Sindh government has taken notice and the Zila Nazim was being charged with corrupt practices.
Haider said that a case against the Zila nazim and his associates was being registered. In the meantime, orders for the removal of the petrol pump/CNG station were also being issued.
He said that the cabinet reviewed the law and order situation and arrangements for the coming local bodies polls and decided to deploy more police and rangers to maintain law and order situation in the province.
He said that the entire process of electioneering would be transparent and peaceful.
The cabinet also decided to start health insurance scheme for its 8000 employees. In the first phase, health insurance facilities would be available only in Karachi and later the scheme would be extended to other cities in the province.
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