Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas Local Government news

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Sindh govt, KMC criticised for ‘poor response’ to post-rain situation

January 15, 2017

KARACHI - Political parties on Saturday lashed out at the Sindh government led by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the municipal authorities for what they described as their ill-preparedness to deal with the aftermath of rain in the provincial capital.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) legislator Khurram Sher Zaman blasted the Sindh government and the municipal authorities for not preparing for rains and cleaning the sewerage system before the rainfall. The poor sewerage and drainage system has paralysed the transportation system of Karachi, he said.

He said that a lack of preparation for rain exposed Sindh government and municipal authorities’ incompetence. Their response to flooded streets and thoroughfares throughout Karachi was quite slow. It appears that residents of this megacity have been left on their own, as no provincial or local government official was seen on the ground helping the people, he said.

The PTI lawmaker said the chief minister had begun his photo-op tour of Karachi, as a huge contingent of media persons accompanied him to various localities. He said the people of Karachi need action, not photo-op visits by the chief minister and others. He demanded that the Sindh government and the Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) take immediate measures to pump out the water from major roads and clean the sewerage system.

A spokesperson for the Jamaat-e-Islami said that claims of making Karachi a metropolitan city were washed away by the first shower of the winter and it seemed the city would have been wiped out if the rain continues for some more days. Expressing his grief over deaths in rain-related incidents, he said it was unfortunate that no steps had been taken by the government and the municipal authorities for maintenance of the drainage system and disposal of waste on the streets. He said that city had become a pond where some political parties were playing the point-scoring game.

The miserable condition of the port city after the rain proved that the provincial rulers had raised just slogans instead of doing something concrete for the welfare of the people, said Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Sindh Vice President Ali Akbar Gujjar. He said that people of the city were forced to live in fear for decades and development funds were transferred to Dubai, London and Canada.

He said that Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, after assuming charge of his office, initiated an operation against encroachments on drains, but desired results were not achieved. The provincial cabinet just paid lip service to the anti-encroachment operations and relied on photo sessions. Funds are being spent, but they are not being audited. “How many mega projects have they given to the city?” he asked. He said the PPP and MQM had turned the city into a “mega garbage city” and made people live a depressed live.

Commenting on the situation of the city, MQM-Haqqiqi leader Khalid Hameed said the first shower of winter season exposed the tall claims of Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and the municipal authorities. He said that municipal authorities failed to clean drains that converted roads into ponds. The suspension of power supply to the city by the K-Electric made the lives of citizens miserable. The provincial government of the PPP that came into power after winning elections in rural Sindh was treating Karachi like an orphan.

The so-called stakeholders of Karachi who came into power through vote rigging had not left any stone unturned to destroy the city and create problems for its people, he said. He said the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KW&SB) never seemed serious in performing its duty. The provincial and local governments were responsible for the miserable condition of the city, he said. He demanded that the federal government intervene to resolve the issues facing Karachi.
 

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URL: https://www.express.com.pk/epaper/PoPupwindow.aspx?newsID=1103974480&Issue=NP_KHI&Date=20170116

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URL: http://e.dunya.com.pk/detail.php?date=2017-01-15&edition=KCH&id=2859163_68355113

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URL: http://e.dunya.com.pk/detail.php?date=2017-01-15&edition=KCH&id=2858849_51347973

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URL: http://e.dunya.com.pk/detail.php?date=2017-01-15&edition=KCH&id=2858868_52232571

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URL: http://e.dunya.com.pk/detail.php?date=2017-01-15&edition=KCH&id=2858861_77610302

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Banned
Waseem Akhtar Talk @OfficialMqm #MQMPakistan #Karachi #MayorKarachi #WaseemAkhtar #DMC #KMC #Rain

Jan 16, 2017

 

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Banned
Mujahid Live | Exclusive talk with Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar | 17 January 2016 | 24 News HD


Published on Jan 17, 2017

 

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Banned
Project office of Gujjar Nullah closed down


17-Jan-17

KARACHI: The project office of Gujjar Nullah has been closed down due to a lack of funds and poor policies of revamping/rehabilitating the structure of Nullah after functioning for almost 10 years.

The project was initiated in 2007 on the direction of former Nazim Karachi, Mustafa Kamal. The local government and KMC were the co-partners in the project.

Millions of rupees had been wasted on the project during the last 10 years.

Gujjar Nullah Project, Director, Sulman Faridi said the office has now been handed over to the Engineering Department of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC).

He said during the 10 years survey of the site as well as land for the affectees were selected for their alternate housing.

Faridi claimed that he has been working as an honorary as due to his poor health he could not regularly attend office.

Later, the Sindh government on a plea for allocation of funds and appointing a consultant for the project showed its inability to cooperate with the KMC, the project director said.

The authorities concerned also failed to finalise the Project Cycle-1 for the said project in absence of any consultant, he further said.

Fareeduddin, the Deputy Commissioner Central while talking to Daily Times said under the supervision and collaboration with KMC we succeeded in clearing almost 99 percent of encroachment from the Nullah.

He said that 8,500 encroachers had been removed from the Nullah.

He further said that debris from both sides of the Nullah will be removed within next few days.

Fareeduddin said that construction of 20-feet-wide roads on either side of the Nullah would be initiated next month.

This is the first project of its kind in the country in which encroachers were not paid a single penny or a piece of land, he remarked.

However in light of Sindh High Court's direction only 150 afffectees having leased documents would be compensated with land or funds, he informed.

The Gujjar Nullah is 33.5 kilometers long with one drainage channel. It is a natural drainage channel that starts from North Karachi and falls into Lyari River near Mureed Goth.

The Nullah's width varies from 19 feet to 37 feet and passes through Godhra Camp, People Colony, Landi Kotal Chowrangi, Musa Colony, crossing Altaf Hussain Berailvi Road near Mureed Goth.


KMC to establish model diagnostic laboratory in FB Area


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16-Jan-17

KARACHI: The Health and Medical Services Department of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has decided to establish a model "KMC Diagnostic Laboratory" in F.B Area.

The proposed KMC Diagnostic Laboratory will be established in a five-room building situated in FB Area's Block-6 near Nazeer Hussain Memorial Kidney Center. The laboratory will be equipped with x-ray, ultrasound, laser and other advanced equipment to diagnose multiple diseases under one roof.

The multiple diagnostic facilities like PCR to detect dengue, Congo, Chikungunya, malaria and other viral and infectious diseases will be provided at the diagnostic laboratory.

The KMC Diagnostic Laboratory will be made operational within a month, where poor and destitute people can avail diagnostic facilities free-of-cost. Technical staff for the laboratory will be hired or arranged from the KMC hospitals.

According to senior director Health and Medical Services, KMC, Dr Muhammad Ali Abbasi, KMC has planned to establish the diagnostic laboratory in FB Area to provide advance diagnostic facilities to citizens free-of-cost. He said that the laboratory will set up for public within a month.

"Necessary equipment and machinery had been arranged to make the laboratory operational," Dr Abbasi said.
 
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Banned
Make Karachi an encroachment free city

January 10, 2017

For Karachi tackling encroachment has become a nightmare for the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) as despite the removal of squatting they end up at the same place with the same people the next day. In busy market areas like Empress Market, Regal, Saddar, Liquatabad and old city areas, almost all of the footpaths and two-thirds of the area of the roads are encroached by pushcart men and other vendors despite court orders.

Pedestrian rights campaigners have suggested to install grills on footpaths, so that they could be used only by pedestrians. They claim that there is an inbuilt handicap to remove squatting on roads and footpaths, because encroachers pay bribes, locally called Bhatta, to people in KMC, district municipal institutes and traffic police. When these departments face pressure, especially court directions, they carry out cosmetic anti-encroachment operations to show their performance, however, these lukewarm operations do not give the desired results as there is a lack of strong will due to the bribery factor and political pressure as local office-bearers of different political parties also benefit due to the fact that they receive protection from such activities as well.

The government should implement its minibus re-routing plan, reactivate the idle project of Saddar Car Parking Plaza and declare the whole area from Mazar-e-Qauid to Burns Road as a no parking area, besides installing iron grills on footpaths. Fitting surveillance cameras to monitor traffic flow and encroachment situation could also be a preventative measure.

Taking an anti-encroachment operation is relatively easy but ensuring that the removed encroachments do not re-emerge is really a difficult task and presently a nightmare for the KMC. However, the anti-encroachment cell officials with the support of police should not only continue its anti-encroachment operations, but also take steps to make the operations sustainable and result oriented to facilitate general public.

BISMA ABDUL LATIF,

Karachi, November 15.
 

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Banned
2 DMCs refuse to work under SSWMA for lifting, dumping garbage


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03-Jan-17

KARACHI: "Two out of four" District Municipal Corporations (DMC)'s of Karachi have refused to work under the Sindh Solid Waste Management Authority (SSWMA) for lifting and dumping of garbage, Rehan Hashmi, Chairman DMC Central told Daily Times on Monday.

He was of the view that there was no transparency in awarding the task of garbage lifting to the Chinese company while the imposition of collection tax will stress the citizens with extra financial burden.

"If the Sindh government allocates half of the funds, which the Chinese company is supposed to benefit from the awarded accord, we will show 200 percent better progress in lifting and dumping of garbage ", he claimed.


Earlier, officials of six Cantonment Boards (CBs), while rejecting the proposal of the SSWMB have said that they did not fall under the SSWMB's precinct.

After rejection by the DMC of Korangi and DMC of Central, DMC's of South, East, West and Malir have agreed to work under the SSWMB, officials have raveled.

DMCs of East and South have already inked an accord with the Chinese Company, Changvi Kangii Sanitation Engineering Company Limited. Besides, the District Council Karachi has also showed interest to work with SSWMB, officials have said.

Although, the Chinese firm has been singled out for garbage lifting and dumping through an accord, to provide participation opportunity to other international firms, the SSWMB has floated tender inquiries rules and fixed January 16 as a tentative date or opening of tenders for the remaining DMC's and district counsels.

Dr Attar Das Sajnani, the Director General, SSWMB told that, 21 authorities are in operation for the municipal works in Karachi.

"We have held talk with 12 such authorities and asked them if they are not interested to become our partner in this task, they would have to pay charges and other expenses for using garbage landfill sites", he said.

The SSMMB would also charge fee for using landfill sites from authorities that would not become the part of its offered collective tasks, he added.

He said these bodies did not pay fees previously for using landfill sites and after taking control of these sites from Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, SSWMB would also charge fees for garbage dumping purpose.

Afaq Saeed, Municipal Commissioner, DMC South said around 107 road sweeping machines were being imported from China in the coming month.

The allegations and concerns of Workers' Unions of DMC South are baseless as we have tried to convince them on this issue, he added.
 
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Banned
Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhtar media talk January 18, 2017


ARY News Headlines 18 January 2017 - Waseem Akhtar Reached Mena Bazar

 

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Banned
Mayor Karachi claims success of 100-day cleanliness campaign


Last Updated On 18 January,2017 09:56 pm

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The citizens are extremely shocked over the new claims of mayor Karachi

KARACHI (Dunya News) – While no significant progress has been observed in the cleanliness condition of the city, Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhtar has still claimed about the success of 100 day cleanliness campaign.

It is pertinent to mention that the 100 years old campaign was announced by mayor Karachi for 16 out of 188 UCs of Karachi.

To everyone’s surprise, the cleanliness situation of these 16 UCs has not changed as yet.


The citizens are extremely shocked over the new claims of mayor Karachi.

They also revealed that hustle and bustle is witnessed once the mayor visits any place however once the visit is over, the relevant authorities are nowhere to be found.

Sindh silent over police plea to enlist Karachi mayor in fourth schedule


HASAN MANSOOR — UPDATED a day ago

KARACHI: The Sindh home ministry has preferred to keep silent over a recent recommendation made by the city police that mayor Waseem Akhtar be enlisted in the fourth schedule, it emerged on Monday.

The deputy inspector general of police, East Zone Karachi, had recently recommended to the senior authorities in the police, the recommendation later sent to the home ministry, that Waseem Akhtar, the mayor of Karachi, be enlisted in the fourth schedule under section 11EE of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.

In a letter titled ‘Request for enlist(ing) the name of accused Waseem Akhtar, son of Mehmood Khan of MQM (A)’, the recommendation was first made by the senior superintendent of police, Malir district, and sent to the DIG-East in November, who later forwarded it to the additional inspector general of police, Karachi Range.

The move was originally taken by the SDPO-Airport on Oct 29, 2016 with ‘a report’ of the Airport SHO, which recommended the action against the mayor.

The mayor had taken oath on Aug 23 while behind bars facing charges of facilitating and providing medical treatment to alleged terrorists and gangsters at PPP leader Dr Asim Hussain’s hospital.

He assumed the charge on Nov 17 after getting bail in all the cases against him.

Officials said the recommendation to put him on the fourth schedule were made while he was still in jail. However, the communication was sent to the home ministry after he assumed the charge.

Officials in the home ministry said they had received a communication from the city police, but so far no action had been taken, or even intended to be taken, by the government.

“We received it recently, but so far the government has no intention to take action in accordance with the police’s recommendations,” said a senior official.

‘It is a cruel joke’

Mayor Akhtar was stunned by the police recommendation as he talking to Dawn he said: “Neither am I a terrorist, nor having an affiliation with any militant or terrorist organisation. Why such a recommendation has been made against a mayor elected by 25 million people of Karachi.

“I am on bail by the honourable court for all charges against me. I am not a terrorist, I repeat. I represent the country’s largest city.

“It is a cruel joke.”

Under Section 11EE [Proscription of person] a person can be listed “as a proscribed person” in the Fourth Schedule on an ex-parte basis, if there are reasonable grounds to believe that, such a person is an activist, office-bearer or an associate of an organisation kept under observation; and in any way concerned or suspected to be concerned with such an organisation or affiliated with any group or organisation suspected to be involved in terrorism or sectarianism or acting on behalf of, or at the behest of, any person or organisation banned under this Act.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2017



 

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Banned
Mayor directs officers to return unauthorised govt vehicles

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4 HOURS AGO BY APP

Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhter has directed all officers who are using unauthorised government vehicles to return the same within a week or action will be taken against them.

According to a statement issued by the KMC here on Wednesday, these officers include former chief engineer KDA Wing Asadullah Shah, former FA Afaq Saeed, former local government secretary Baqaullah Unnar, former KMC administrator Shoaib Siddiqui, former KMC MC Sami Siddiqui, former Parks DG Ashfaq Mallah, former PRO to DCO Sattar Javed, and Additional Commissioner Rubina Asif.
 

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Banned
Welcome change: 400 model streets in Korangi to pave way for future

Published: January 19, 2017
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The projects supervisor said it takes almost two days to level the streets and install the paver blocks. The cost of revamping 400 streets is around Rs2.5 million. PHOTOS: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS KARACHI: Wearing a red sweater and white shoes, six-year-old Fareeha pedals her green bicycle in a newly paved street in Shah Faisal town of District Korangi. Other children walk in straight lines and make the sound of a train while playing rail gadi chuk chuk [choo choo train]. Their parents stand in one corner of the street while sharing gossip with one another and enjoying the view.The sight is quiet unusual for Shah Faisal town, infamous for broken roads and garbage reek. The revamping of the street has brought a sigh of relief for the residents.We have never seen such clean streets before, remarked an elderly resident of the area Sakeena. At evening, the residents
bring chairs from their homes outside and sit together

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Earlier, according to another resident Owais, no one could have even thought of standing on the road as it was always laden with piles of garbage.The change is a part of Mayor Wasim Akhtars 100-day cleanliness campaign, which endeavours to convert 400 different narrow streets of District Korangi into model roads.While speaking to The Express Tribune, District Municipal Corporation Korangi chairperson, Nayyar Raza said that they have selected four zones in the entire district Korangi, which include Malir, Shah Faisal, Landhi and Korangi.In each zone, about 100 streets will be converted into model roads.Getting startedThe streets, which will be selected randomly, will be cleaned first then paver blocks with which narrow streets are constructed in London and European countries will be placed there to ensure that water does not accumulate, explained Raza.When asked about the broken and choked sewage lines below the streets, he said that none of these streets have any sewage lines. The sewage lines are in the back streets known as gandi gully [dirty street], he said, adding that the paver blocks are far more durable than the roads constructed with asphalt.
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Even if for any reason the road needs to be digged out, the paver blocks can be plucked out and placed back, he said.The supervisor of the project, Imran Anwari, said that it takes almost two days to level the streets and install paver blocks. The cost for the revamping of 400 streets, according to Raza, is around Rs2.5 million.The contractor will be paid after six to seven months, he mentioned. He also added that if the government had provided them funds they would have changed the entire cityscape.Garbage densAlongside, about 16 model garbage dens will also be installed in the district; four in each zone, said Anwari.The 20-feet-wide covered garbage dens will ensure that garbage is not thrown on the streets. For this purpose, an awareness campaign will also be launched, said Raza.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 20th, 2017.

Karachi mayor lays foundation of five projects

19-Jan-17

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KARACHI: Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar on Thursday laid the foundation stone of five new projects to development the citys infrastructure.According to a statement given on Thursday, these projects include the construction of a road in Gulistan-e-Jauhar block 15, construction of inner roads and rehabilitation of streets in Gulshan Iqbal block 3, repairing of inner roads and streets in Gulistan-e-Jauhar block 7 and rehabilitation of inner roads and repair/restoration of sewage system in block 4 of Gulshan Iqbal.East District Chairman Moeed Anwer, Technical Services Director General Shahab Anwer, Municipal services Director Masood Alam and project director Shabihul Hasnain accompanied mayor Karachi on the occasion.The mayor said that citizens and media will be informed about the development projects that were in progress for the 100-day cleanliness campaign, so that they could see for themselves what we have done despite having no resources for it. We would clean the whole city if we get the required resources and powers.
 
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