Sukkur mayor briefs PPP chairman on development projets

SUKKUR:

Mayor Sukkur Barrister Arsalan Islam Shaikh has claimed that his city is undergoing a transformation with urban planning, development, climate effects mitigation and supply of clean drinking water being their priorities. Shaikh, who is also a spokesman for the Sindh government, gave a detailed briefing in this regard to Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in Karachi on Thursday.

He apprised that an international-standard project titled 'ladies world' is going to be executed to provide a recreational and social interaction facility to women, equipped with a walking track, swimming pool, gymnasium, library and other modern facilities. He added that urban forestry, tree plantation, heat mitigation, water conservation and climate-friendly infrastructure have been made integral components of Sukkur's urban planning and development.

Shaikh claimed that over 50% of Sukkur's domestic wastewater is treated before being discharged into the River Indus. He assured that the next phase of wastewater treatment will cover 100% of wastewater. According to him, they are also trying to protect the ecological system and biodiversity of the river and that the efforts also include protection of blind dolphins and freshwater turtles.

He said a clean drinking water project under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework to benefit 650,000 citizens and over 100,000 households of Sukkur is awaiting the PPP policy board's approval. He took credit for securing a $2 million grant for climate resilient projects to protect low-income families, residents of informal settlements and other vulnerable communities from the impacts of climate change and extreme heat.

The execution will start from November when foreign experts will start developing the investment model.

The mayor briefed that the Gadani Phatak overhead bridge will soon connect two talukas of Sukkur, providing ease of movement to around 350,000 citizens.