Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar has asked Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to transfer six civic agencies and services to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation.
In a letter to the CM, Akhtar said the Solid Waste Management, the Karachi Water & Sewerage Board, the Building Control Authority, the Karachi Development Authority, the Master Plan Development & Town Planning, and the Urban Transport & Mass Transit should be handed over to the KMC due to their essentially municipal nature.
The mayor said his demand was in exercise of the powers conferred to the government by Section 74(b) of the Sindh Local Government Act 2013 as it ensured transfer of functions from the council to the government and vice versa. “Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, the government may transfer the management and control of any institution or service maintained by government to a council,” he quoted the section while requesting the CM to approve the proposed transfer.
The mayor said Karachi was the financial capital of the country and the seventh largest megapolis of the world. “But it is unfortunately deprived of essential municipal functions such as urban planning, including housing and town planning, regulation of land use and construction of buildings, water supply and sanitation, conservancy and solid waste management, and the urban transport and the mass transit programmes, which are essentially municipal and remained part of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation.”
He said Karachi was ethnically and demographically was the most diverse city of the country and due to its political alignment it was not duly represented in the federal and the provincial governments. “This situation is likely to remain so in future, the only opportunity for inhabitant of Karachi to articulate their aspirations is available at local levels, and if the local level is not properly empowered the sense of deprivation will further increase.”
He said the constitutional development from encouragement of the local government institutions (Article 32) to a constitutional duty (Article 140A) to establish the local government systems was a marked departure from the past. “The creation of the local governments based on the constitutional directive to devolve political, administrative and financial responsibility and authority to the elected representatives of the local government is a giant leap forward. Article 140A does not envision the local government to be a nominal or residual or merely symbolic anymore but a real empowered stakeholder and a breeding ground for deeper and more public responsive politics.”
KARACHI: Waseem Akhtar, Mayor of Karachi has said that he was preparing to go to Supreme Court (SC) for restoration of rights of the people of Karachi.
During a press conference at Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Building on completion of 100-day cleaning drive in city, Waseem said he would make no further appeals to federal and Sindh government for seeking city powers.
I will knock the SCP doors to enforce Article 140-A of the Constitution, This is the SCP that had directed for holding local bodies elections in the country, he referred.
"I am not alone, elected local bodies members of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in Sindh have informed me that they were also powerless and they would stand by me in this regard".
He lamented that nothing has come out from his appeals that he made to Centre as well as to Sindh government for release of funds and grant-in-aid to salvage KMC from financial crunch.
I knocked every door of Sindh government for powers and funds to initiate welfare and rehabilitation work of Karachi but all went in vain, he added.
"I am being stopped to work by putting restriction on already limited available resources but this act is more harming for Karachi than me. This is antagonism with Karachi not with a party", Waseem explained.
Waseem revealed that he had rejected the offer of Rs 5 million for the purchase of new vehicles for Mayor and Deputy Mayor.
In the last eight years, Rs 1,000 billion had been released for the development of Sindh but, "Where is the money. I had challenged the responsible to tell us where the money has gone", he remarked.
He highlighted the projects that have been undertaken during 100-day cleaning drive and said that despite limited financial and administrative resources we have proceeded and would not stop here.
KARACHI (Web Desk) Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhter has fulfilled his promise of reserving two buses for Federal Urdu University of Arts Science and Technology (FUUAST), reported Dunya News.
The availability of new buses would facilitate the varsity students as their problems regards to conveyance would get solved to a great extent.
It was almost a month ago when Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhter announced to reserve two buses for varsity students when they held a demonstration for their demands after the death of universitys students.
At the occasion, Karachi Mayor handed over keys of the buses to Vice Chancellor Federal Urdu University of Arts Science and Technology (FUUAST) Dr Salman D Muhammad.
Dr Salman D Muhammad called the gifts of buses to the university from Karachi Mayor a good gesture. He let it be known that the availability of buses would facilitate the students to great extent.
Mayor Karachi revealed on the occasion that a CNG bus has already been donated to the students in Jam Goth area.
He professed that all the efforts would be made to provide conveyance facilities to the students.
Pakistan Peoples Party on Sunday advised Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar to read the Sindh Local Government Act and see that cleanliness and garbage lifting was not the responsibility of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation.
KARACHI: Local Government Department (LGD) Sindh has decided in principle to takeover control of five prime parks in Karachi
Bagh-Ibne-Qasim Park (127-acre), Beach Park (18-acre), Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Park (47-acre), Jahangir Park (22-acre) and Frere Hall Park (20-acre) are the recreational sites where KMC has utterly failed to maintain and to bring further development. In a major development LGD has started uplift of Jahangir Park in Saddar after removal of illegal encroachments on the directives of Sindh High Court.
Sindh Minister for LGD, Jam Khan Shoro while confirming the move has said that "the step has been taken due to inefficiency and poor management of these parks by Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC)".
After completion of Jahangir Park project, LGD is of the view that to run the affairs of the park, the responsibility should be shared on Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis.
Bagh-Ibne-Qasim Clifton, located adjacent to 'Icon Tower' of Bahria Town, remained abandoned on pretext of looking after for 8 years would be handed over to Bahria Town on request of Malik Riaz, Chief Executive, Bahria Town.
It is expected that this project would be handed over officially at a ceremony to be held sometimes in a week, officials of LGD informed. However, it is not clear that upon completion of development work who will take custody of the park, LGD or Bahria Town.
A portion of this site is said to be built on the pattern of Disney Land Singapore, officials LGD revealed.
It is pertinent to mention that Bagh-Ibne-Qasim was developed during former President Pervez Musharraf at a cost of one billion rupees and a portion of parking area has also been given to Bahria Town for building an underpass.
The other parks LGD working on are Beach Park, Frere Hall Park and Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Park on PPP basis.
Earlier, Parks and Horticulture Department of KMC had 162 public parks and after taking control of parks by Karachi Development Authority and six District Municipal Corporations under a legal procedure, KMC has only 37 parks in city.
KARACHI: The ongoing development program under Rs 10 billion Mega Development Projects in different parts of Karachi sans any monitoring system.
There is no expert team to monitor these development projects, which are being run under Project Directorate, Local Government Sindh, members of Karachi Constructors Association (KCA) have alleged.
Niaz Soomro is the Project Director of this Directorate, which was designed in March 2016 under the directions of Murad Ali Shah, Sindh Chief Minister.
This move of Sindh government is aimed to delay the delegation of local body powers to Mayor and Deputy Mayor and to keep the controling powers of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), rather than to share powers with public office elected members of the civic entity, KCA claimed.
Inspection and Quality Control Engineering Department (IQCED KMC) has not been tasked to check the quality of material, on the spot checking and preparation of report in case of any discrepancy in work under prescribed rules and standards of work, Naeem Kazmi, President KCA informed.
However there are some development sites, where private consultants have been appointed. They are held responsible to keep watch on quality of work and allied construction matters. In case of any failure in this respect they can be fined and or even fired from the responsibilities.
Kazmi said that there should be a system of check and balance under Pakistan Engineering Council and Sindh Public Procurement Regulatory Authority's rules and regulations.
He claimed, "In case of setting up any directorate, approval of Sindh assembly is mandatory in this regard".
IQCED KMC should also take responsibility for checking quality of work etc on the development sites, but IQCED KMC is reluctant. "May be development work on different sites has become controversial, but KMC should show its responsibility for the sake of citizens of Karachi, who would be the ultimate end users of these development projects", he remarked.
OVER the past few days, what had been for long a simmering though low-key feud between the PPP-led Sindh government and the MQM-piloted municipal administration of Karachi has turned into an ugly, very public exchange, with both parties throwing muck at each other. On Sunday, PPP Senator Saeed Ghani unleashed a barrage of criticism targeted at the MQM, accusing it of land grabbing and hiring ghost employees. The same day, the Muttahida’s provincial lawmaker Faisal Sabzwari replied to the PPP in the same coin, terming the Sindh Secretariat as the “office of a commission agent” and accusing the party of encroaching on municipal powers. Earlier, Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar had written a number of public letters calling for the return of powers to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, while also threatening to move the Supreme Court to secure these powers. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Saturday dismissed the mayor’s criticism and told him to ‘do his job’.
At the heart of the matter is the question of who should be doing what in Sindh’s urban areas. While both the PPP and MQM have earned criticism for bad governance and corruption — much of it well deserved — in this case, the mayor’s stance has some weight as key municipal functions and utility bodies such as solid waste management, the Karachi water board, the building control authority etc are currently under provincial control. The result of this control is there for all to see in the shape of mounds of stinking garbage and broken roads in the metropolis. Even Sindh’s secondary cities — Larkana, Sukkur etc — are in decrepit shape where civic services are concerned. The point here is not to defend any party and criticise the other. The key point is that municipal functions in any democracy are the responsibility of the third tier, with state or provincial authorities exercising supervisory powers. Instead of hurling abuses at each other, the PPP and MQM should agree on a modus vivendi that allows elected local representatives to do their job.
KARACHI: Over Rs 770 million are required for lifting around 422,000 tonnes of garbage accumulated in 1,668 heaps in different locations of Karachi under old lifting process, committee constituted under Commissioner Karachi has submitted the report to Murad Ali Shah, Chief Minister Sindh .
Ejaz Ahmad Khan, Commissioner Karachi has recommended that it would be feasible to lift the garbage before awarding the contract for its lifting to the Chinese company.
Masood Alam, senior Director Municipal Services of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) also the Chairman of 9-member Committee informed that report contained survey to access the quantity of garbage, resources mapping besides taking into account the details of old garbage lifting machinery.
Around 399 numbers of garbage lifting machinery (102 minor, 297 major) are required to be repaired. After repair work, about 70 percent of the transportation strength would be enhanced. One District Council and six District Municipal Corporations would be able to lift 9,000 tonnes of garbage on daily basis.
According to report around 12,373 tonnes of garbage is generated on daily basis in the city and only 47 percent of the garbage is lifted every day on average.
After repair of machinery the civic bodies would be able lift more than 70 percent garbage in city daily and backlog of garbage would be completed within three-four months time.
Committee recommended that the Chairmen of all Union Councils, a nominee each from Mayor Karachi, DC and DMCs would be inducted in the monitoring team to look after the matters of lifting garbage.
Committee in its report has written that the removal of 100 percent (1,668 heaps) of garbage backlog would be possible if the required money of Rs 770 million is providedin one go .
Additional funds of Rs 36 million on daily basis are required for lifting day-to-day lifting of garbage, the Committee said.
Around Rs 327 million are immediately needed for the repair of minor and major garbage lifting machinery. Almost Rs 42 million would be needed for up-gradation of two landfill sites.
Currently Rs 137 million is being spent monthly for the lifting of garbage in city and additional funds of Rs 230 million are required per month. 100 percent of its lifting on day to day basis would be made possible in this way.
The report submitted to CM is duly endorsed by MC of DMCs, Chief Officer DC Karachi, Director Local Government and senior Director Municipal Services.
Meanwhile, the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) has given responsibility of lifting garbage of district South and East to the Chinese company amounting to Rs 6 billion.
The garbage lifting tenders of district West, Malir and DC have been deferred for the time being on account of entry of other garbage lifting companies in the tender process, informed officials of SSWMB.
District Central and Korangi have negated the privatization of lifting of garbage on the pretext that tender process has not been transparent. Funds should be provided to us in order to lift garbage, chairmen of both districts lamented.
