Chairman, Site Association of Industry (SAI), Abdul Wahab Lakhani has shown strong resentment on issuance of challan to the industries of Site by town municipal administration on the pretext of failure to remove garbage.
In a communication sent Saturday to the authorities concerned, Lakhani stated that Site Town Karachi is issuing challan of rupees 2,000/- each to the industries for allegedly throwing garbage outside their factories, and coercing them that if the amount is not paid, it will be recovered through the court of judicial magistrate (west) Karachi along-with fine.
In a similar situation, he added, the administration harassed the industrialists under the illegal pretext of Trade License Fee. He said that in their defence, they had told the authorities that the industries fall under the jurisdiction of Site limited that are responsible to provide all civic facilities, and the administration has no jurisdiction over the industries. The matter was resolved after the intervention of chief minister Sindh, Qaim Ali Shah wherein the administration was directed to stop such harassment in future.
However, SAI chairman said, the administration has again started their illegal collection campaign by issuing challans/notices to industries and recovering Rs 2,000/- per industry on a false pretext. He said that the move is an illegal act, saying he terms it a 'novel method of illegal bhatta collection'. Lakhani urged chief minister and his advisor on investment, Zubair Motiwala to urgently interfere in the matter and restrain site town authorities from harassing industrialists of the area.-PR