Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah approved on Tuesday Rs17.7 billion for the purchase of eight snorkels, fire tenders, refuse trucks, tractors and trolleys for the province's local bodies.
The CM approved the funds while presiding over a meeting at the CM House, where local government department officials proposed the purchase of eight snorkels.
According to the officials, the addition of the snorkels to the fire department's fleet will help with extinguishing fires in high-rise buildings.
The CM was told that eight snorkels, each having a length of 35 metres, would be purchase for divisional headquarters. Three of these snorkels will be deployed in Karachi and one in Hyderabad, Nawabsahah, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas and Larkana division each.
Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah informed the CM that the tender process for the purchase of the snorkels had been initiated.
The snorkels are need for divisional headquarters, he added.
At that, the CM said Rs1.5 billion would be released for the purchase of the snorkels by the next fiscal year.
Following that, Nasir told the meeting that municipal committees had to transport garbage to landfill sites, for which 102 tractors and trolleys were required.
The purchase will cost Rs4.1 billion, he said.
The CM approved funds for the purchase of tractor trolleys as well, directing the finance department to release the funds by the start of the next fiscal year.
Besides, local government department official proposed the purchase of 89 fire tenders for the province's municipal committees.
The CM gave nod to the proposal and approved Rs2.8 billion for the purchase.
He also approved Rs9.3 billion, which will be issued in the next fiscal year, for the buying 115 refuse trucks. Near the meeting's end, the CM directed Nasir to activate the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and district municipal corporations for the cleaning of Karachi's main nullahs.
"The monsoon season is approaching and therefore, the desilting of major nullahs should be started soon," he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 21st, 2021.
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