CM Sindh urges civic agencies to clear city irrespective of jurisdiction issue

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed all local bodies, including to dispose of stagnant water from different areas of the city and clean them irrespective of jurisdiction issue with coordinated efforts.

While presiding over meeting here on Monday at the Chief Minister (CM) House, he said Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), Karachi Development Authority, Water Board, District Municipal Corporations and Solid waste management should collaborate for water disposal from the city.

The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, Saeed Ghani, Nasir Shah and Advisor Law Murtaza Wahab, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, Commissioner Karachi Sohail Rajput, Secretary Works Imran Atta, Special Secretary Local Govt Khalid Chachar, Managing Director (MD) Water Board Khalid Shaikh, MD SSWMB Kahif Gulzar and Municipal Commissioner KMC, said a news release.

Syed Murad Ali Shah directed commissioner Karachi to prepare an inventory of the dewater machines, pumps, suction machines besides other machinery available with different local bodies and water board to utilize when needed.

The chief minister said all local bodies and water board, SSWMB and Provincial Disaster Management Authority have worked hard to restore the city after heavy downpour.

“I have visited each and every area of the city when they were submerged and again to monitor their restoration and then visited restored areas,” he said and added still part of Kharadar, Yousuf Goth of Surjani Town and some streets have to be cleared.

He directed Commissioner Karachi to get the entire area of Kharadar cleared by late night and report.

“I want Yousuf Goth to be cleared within the next few days and I’ll personally visit again,” he said.

The CM directed secretary works Imran Atta to repair all the portions of the road which have sunk at main club road, turning from Shahrah-e-Faisal towards Rashid Minhas Road, a small portion of Flyover of Liaquatabad.

He directed KMC to repair Korangi Causeway. CM Sindh was told that the causeway has been restored for traffic.

Syed Murad Ali Shah issued directives for opening all the inundated, or closed areas to traffic by removing water or garbage and in the second phase wash them.

The chief minister was told that the water board machinery was still working to dewater the areas of phase-VI of DHA. He directed the commissioner to help them with more machinery, if needed.

The chief minister was also informed that the 12 feeders of K-electric in Defence area were nonfunctional till afternoon of Monday, of them six have been made operational.

The remaining six could not be made functional as water was stagnant in basement of various banglows in Defence Housing Authority.

The chief minister directed the water board to talk to Cantonment Board Clifton and help them, if needed.

The chief minister, after receiving news of heavy rain in Mirpurkhas division and in the parts of Hyderabad, telephoned the deputy commissioners of Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Tharparkar, Badin and Sujawal and directed them to look after people properly.

Syed Murad Ali Shah said people should be shifted from low lying areas to safer places and food, water and medicines and such other items must be provided to people shifted to the camps.