Sindh CM issues Rs229m for rain arrangements

295,824 tonnes of sludge removed from Karachi’s nullahs during ongoing cleaning drive

KARACHI:

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said on Thursday that Rs229 million had been released to divisional commissioners for rain emergency arrangements.

Presiding over a meeting, the CM further said he had issued directives for the Sindh chief secretary, commissioners and municipal committees to clean nullahs and make necessary arrangements for the disposal of rainwater.

Moreover, Rs30 million, requested by the Karachi commissioner, has also been issued for rain-related arrangements, he added.

Sindh Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah told the meeting that rain emergency cells had been established at the local government department office, divisional commissioners’ offices and municipal committee offices. In addition, 1,093 complaint centres have been established to deal with rain-related issues, he added.

Besides, the meeting was informed that the cleaning of nullahs in Karachi was underway and 295,824 tonnes of sludge had been removed from them so far.

When told that power outages at pumping stations were creating problems, the CM directed the energy department to order K-Electric and Hyderabad Power Supply Corporation to exempt pumping stations from electricity suspension.

The CM further told the meeting that the World Bank (WB) had agreed to invest $100 million in improving solid waste management in Karachi.

Competitive and Liveable City of Karachi (CLICK) project director Zubair Channa told the CM that the concept note for Solid Waste Emergency and Efficiency Projects (SWEEP) was approved by the planning commission on June 8 and the CLICK team had been assigned tasks to be carried out under SWEEP as a stop-gap arrangement.

Following this, the CLICK was authorised to clean nullahs, he explained, clarifying, however, that just 38 nullahs under the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) were covered by SWEEP. At this, the CM said that the Sindh government was investing $8 million using its own resources for the purpose and the amount would later be reimbursed by the WB.

Speaking about paying contractors for cleaning nullahs, Channa said that they would be paid on the basis of the amount of sludge removed from nullahs and disposed.

He further told the CM that surveys of 38 KMC nullahs had been conducted and the environment and socio-economic surveys of nullahs and dumping sites were underway.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 10^th, 2020.