Sindh Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar has allocated eight snorkels, purchased for Rs1.35 billion, to the municipal corporations of six major cities of the province.
The chief minister handed over three snorkels to Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) and one each to Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur, and Larkana at a ceremony hosted by Minister of Local Government Mubin Jumani at the Karachi Water & Sanitation Board (KWSB) office on Sharea Faisal on Thursday.
While addressing the audience, the CM shed light on a serious issue concerning high-rise buildings in the metropolitan city. Many of these buildings lack proper firefighting systems, equipment, and fire exits, putting residents on higher floors at significant risk during a fire outbreak, which can result in both loss of life and property, he said.
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The CM stressed the importance of implementing a robust firefighting mechanism. "To address this, the Sindh government has initiated a fire safety audit of buildings to identify and rectify any defects, ensuring the safety of residents and occupants," he added.
He underlined that it is a joint responsibility of the government and civic agencies to ensure adequate firefighting equipment is available to handle fire incidents. "With this in mind, the government has been investing in the procurement of fire trucks and snorkels for aerial firefighting," he added.
The chief minister stated that the imported snorkels from Indonesia are state-of-the-art firefighting machines. While acknowledging that the current number of fire engines falls short of the city's needs, the snorkels represent a step towards creating more efficient firefighting departments equipped to handle fire incidents and ensure resident safety.
Minister of Local Government Mubin Jumani has directed all local bodies to develop their firefighting systems, which will ultimately become part of Rescue 1122.
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Secretary of Local Government Manzoor Shaikh explained that the Sindh government initially ordered 15 snorkels, but only eight could be procured due to currency exchange rate fluctuations. Despite being stuck at KPT due to customs duties, the chief minister approved Rs350 million to expedite the release of the snorkels, which are now being handed over to the mayors. The local government expressed gratitude to the chief minister for his support.
After the snorkel launch, the chief minister visited the KWSB control room, where the movement of the Board's seven hydrants operating in the city is being monitored. During the visit, he instructed the KWSB to regulate the prices of water tankers, as reports indicated they were charging more than the fixed rates by the water board.
CM Baqar reiterated that the purpose of establishing hydrants was to provide water to water-deficient areas, but the private tanker mafia had turned it into a profit-making endeavor. He instructed the concerned officers to take immediate measures to halt this practice.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 12th, 2024.
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