President in town: Highways, sewage plants and flood rehabilitation projects discussed

President Zardari suggests inviting foreign companies to rebuild flood-hit homes.

KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari discussed national highways, sewage treatment plants and flood rehabilitation projects during a series of meetings held at Bilawal House on Thursday.

He directed the relevant officials to explore alternate sources of funding for ongoing development projects in Sindh that have been stalled or slowed down.

The president’s spokesperson Farhatullah Babar and adviser to Sindh chief minister on information and archives Sharmila Farooqui gave media briefings following the meetings.

‘Raise fund for the highway through private sector’

The president stressed the urgent need to complete projects in the communications and highways sector. He noted that the N-9 (Karachi-Hyderabad) project has been delayed due to a shortage of funds so he advised that a committee be set up to raise funds from the private sector.

According to Babar, the president set up the committee, comprising National Highway Authority chairperson Altaf Ahmed Chaudhry, Planning Commission deputy chairperson Nadeemul Haque, finance secretary Waqar Masood and State Bank of Pakistan governor Shahid Kardar. The committee will float Expressions of Interest for the N-9 project on build operate and transfer basis within a month.

The extent of damages to the road network was estimated at Rs18.83 billion and reconstruction will cost Rs22.4 billion and can be completed in the next two years, the president was told.

The president further advised that funds for the projects should be raised only in Pakistan through alternate sources, such as the stock exchanges, private sector, donors and NGOs, said Farooqui. He believed this method will create a sense of ownership in the projects, she added.

Rebuilding flood-hit homes

Nearly a million houses need to be rebuilt in Sindh alone. The president suggested seeking help from China, Turkey and the UAE as the leaders of these countries had offered to help in the rehabilitation process. He directed the officials to submit a progress report within a week.

A reconstruction body, headed by the chief minister, needs to be set up to oversee the rebuilding of flood-hit homes, the president said. He was told during a briefing that the World Bank estimated 880,000 houses damaged in Sindh but the government’s survey revealed a higher figure.

Referring to the construction of small dams, he said that the Winder and Darawat dams project should begin as soon as possible so that water storage and conservation can be started. He pointed out that during his first visit to China, he had negotiated with the Chinese authorities to construct 32 small and medium dams in Pakistan but the progress was very slow on those projects.

The president also asked Zarai Taraqiati Bank to prepare a package to provide funds to farmers for a solar project to generate electricity and run tubewells. The meeting also reviewed the availability of soft term loans to farmers in flood-affected areas.

Karachi sewage

The Karachi sewage project should include conversion of sewerage into fertilizers, said the president. He issued directives to arrange funds under public-private partnership to complete the sewage treatment plant and the greater Karachi sewerage plan as early as possible to treat not only waste water but also produce fertilizer and gas.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 31^st, 2010.