Govt decides to hand over K-IV project to FWO

Sets March 23 as deadline for its launch ceremony

Karachi

The Sindh government has decided to hand over the K-IV Greater Karachi water supply project to the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO).

The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah at the CM House on Thursday, where he announced that the project would be kicked off on March 23. 

Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad was also present along with finance minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, local government minister Jam Khan Shoro, CM adviser on Information Mola Bux Chandio, Chief Secretary Siddique Memon, ACS (Dev) Aijaz Ali Khan, Principal Secretary Alamuddin Bullo, Secretary Finance Sohail Rajput, Secretary Local Government Noor Mohammad Leghari, the managing director of the water board and others. 

The chief minister said his political leadership was pressing hard to launch the project in the larger interest of the people of Karachi.

Syed Murad Ali Shah briefing the meeting said that he along with his team had held a meeting with the FWO director general last week, which was followed by another meeting of the organisation with the government officials and experts to discuss the issues and work plan, and the organisation was ready to start the work if it was given the contract.

The chief minister said the FWO was a well-reputed organisation, which could possibly ensure the quality work and timely completion; therefore it should be awarded the contract.

During the meeting, all the participants agreed on awarding the work to the FWO, after which the chief ministered directed officials of the water board and the Planning &Development Department to make the contract with the organisation.

“All the legal formalities must be completed prior to signing the contract agreement,” he said, adding that the signing ceremony would be arranged in the CM House. 

The governor and the chief minister asked the relevant authorities to make necessary arrangements so that the project could be inaugurated on March 23, maintaining that the date was selected keeping in view of its historical importance.  The total cost of the K-IV project is Rs 25.5 billion, which will potentially provide a water supply of 650 millions of gallons per day (MGD) to Karachi in three phases.

In the first phase 260 MGD water will be provided from Keenjhar Lake to Karachi, while another 260 MGD in the second phase, followed by the last phase in 2020 when another water scheme would be launched to provide 130 MGD.

In the beginning of the meeting, prayers were offered for the departed soul of leading drama writer and literary figure Fatima Surayya Bajiya.

‘Adopt a Park Policy’

The meeting also discussed the plight of some important parks of the city and maintained that most of the parks were not looked over by the civic administration.

The meeting was informed that the local bodies concerned were engaged in completing other assignments because of which they could not look after the parks, and as a result organised mafias and encroachers taking advantage of the situation had been grabbing lands of parks.

Governor Ebad suggested that the parks either be looked after by DMCs concerned or be given under an 'Adopt a Park Policy'.

The governor also emphasised on the need of saving parks, saying that they were a key source for public recreation and created a very good impact on environment.

The chief minister directed the secretary local government to move a summary so that the parks of the city, especially the Jheel Park and some others in the Clifton area, could be utilised in the larger interest of the public with proper maintenance. 

Space under flyovers

The meeting also discussed that the space located under the flyovers had turned into dens and most of the places were being used by mechanics and such other people. The chief minister directed officials of the local government department to make a proposal in consultation with the Karachi commissioner so that the best use of the spaces could be ensured.