Govt mulls allowing civic bodies to make policy

Committee proposes separate divisional entities for carrying out SBCA, SSWMB operational measures

KARACHI:

The coordination committee formed for the implementation of projects under the federal government in Karachi has proposed changing the status of Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) and Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) to policy-making bodies and setting up other autonomous entities for carrying out operational measures that are presently the responsibility of the former.

This was proposed during a meeting presided over by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Saturday.

In the meeting, committee members observed that an efficient garbage-lifting system was imperative for ensuring that the city’s nullahs were not choked. They attributed garbage clogging stormwater drains to the improper lifting of waste from the streets and roads, saying that the inefficient garbage removal was what had caused nullahs to overflow following heavy rains and cause urban flooding.

Keeping in view these observations, the committee proposed that the SSWMB be made a policy-making body and multiple entities be set up at the divisional level for carrying out operational measures, including lifting garbage, sweeping, door-to-door garbage collection and transporting garbage to garbage transfer stations and to landfill sites.

Under the proposed arrangement, Karachi, Hyderabad, Larkana, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas and Shaheed Benazirabad are to have separate bodies for carrying out waste management operations.

Besides, the meeting was told that 422 buildings had been declared dangerous in the city while all buildings that had collapsed in recent days were illegally constructed. It was pointed out that putting an end to illegal construction was necessary for the protection of citizens’ lives and property.

On these grounds, the committee further proposed also making the SBCA a policy-making body, with separate, autonomous divisional entities in Karachi and Hyderabad carrying out operational measures currently under taken by the SBCA.

The committee also proposed to define a “life span” for every building, with the builder being held responsible if the structure collapsed prior to the specified duration.

In response to these recommendations, the CM said his government would consider the propositions.

With regards to the removal of encroachments on nullahs, the meeting’s participants suggested appointing a consultant to design nullahs as per the master plans and prepare a report on removing illegal structures built there. It also agreed on preparing a detailed plan for residents of these dwellings.

On enhancing water
supply

Moreover, the meeting was told that PC-1 for the K-IV bulk water project was being modified as the scheme’s construction cost had significantly increased.

The Sindh planning and development (P&D) chairperson told the meeting that the KWSB and the Ministry of Water and Power had been taken on board for revising the PC-1.

The meeting was also informed that the Water and Power Development Authority chairperson and his team would visit the project’s site on November 5 to decide the future plan of action.

While the project’s completion is the Centre’s responsibility, all relevant augmentation work is to be carried out by the Sindh government.

In order to proceed with its implementation, the Sindh advocate general was instructed to have all stay orders on the water scheme vacated.

Besides, the meeting was told that the local government was assessing whether the capacity of another project, aimed at increasing the water supply from Haleji Lake, could be enhanced from 65MGD to 130MGD.

The P&D chairperson told the meeting that the National Engineering Services of Pakistan was conducting a study to gauge the availability of water.

The CM also directed local government officials and the KWSB to take immediate measures for improving the water supply from Haleji as well as curbing illegal water connections and the “menace of valve-men.”

At this, Sindh Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah told the CM that action was being taken in this regard.

The meeting also agreed to enhance the capacity of Thado Dam to reduce water losses and avoid flash floods during heavy rains. The CM directed local government officials to appoint consultants for the dam’s rehabilitation, to enhance its storage capacity.

The Karachi Circular Railway also came under discussion and the meeting decided that railway authorities would submit their proposals for the scheme in the next meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1^st, 2020.