By Syed Sajid Aziz
(Pakistan News & Features Services)
(Pakistan News & Features Services)
The Administrator of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), Rauf Akhtar Farooqi has assured the industrialists to carry out development work shortly in Korangi Industrial Area despite the paucity of funds.
Addressing a reception hosted by the Pakistan Tanners Association (PTA), South Zone, in his honour on August 18, Rauf Farooqi announced to re-construct dilapidated Jam Sadiq Bridge very soon as the Chief Minister had approved the PC-I of the project.
The Chairman PTA SZ, Fawad Jawed, Deputy Commissioner Korangi, SSP Police Korangi, former Chairman PTA and Vice President FPCCI, Gulzar Firoz and prominent tanners were also present on the occasion.
He said that massive repairs and reconstruction of the bridge that connects the city to the Korangi Industrial Area was the long time demand of the industrialists and now the work would be commenced in a week’s time. As pointed by the PTA chief, he immediately ordered the carpeting of link road in Tannery Zone which was left incomplete by the KMC.
The KMC Administrator further announced to repair the refinery road which has turned into a very bad shape. He said that encroachments on refinery road would be removed with the help of area deputy commissioner and police.
He said that despite the fact that the KMC has very limited resources and facing massive shortfall of revenue, would complete the remaining work in Tannery Zone with its own funds.
Rauf Farooqui, however, added that water to the industrial areas specially the Tannery Zone could only be supplied when the government increase water quota from Indus for at least 1,000 cusecs as present quota of 1,200 cusecs could only cater to the needs of the less than half of the population of Karachi.
He said that reverse osmosis plants installed by DHA have been failed either. He advised the industrialists to urge upon the federal government to release KMC’s funds so that several projects that have been shelved due to non release of funds in the city should be executed.
Gulzar Firoz pointed out on the occasion that people have extended their houses on the link nullah which connects to the treatment plant, illegally should be removed otherwise any untoward incident could have occurred anytime.
The PTA Chief, Fawed Jawed, in his welcome speech urged the federal, provincial and local governments to rescue falling exports of leather and leather garments by providing water to the country’s largest cluster of tanneries.
He pointed out that Tannery Zone contributes over 35 per cent of the total exports of leather and leather goods and its tanneries are starving due to drought like situation for the last several years as the sub-soil water is also depleting fast. He urged the KMC Administrator to use his good offices to prompt the KWSB to release water into the newly laid pipeline in Tannery Zone.
