Governor seeks details of plan for CCTV cameras at parks

Karachi

Presiding over a meeting to review ongoing renovation and rehabilitation of parks, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad directed the city administrator to draw up an initial plan (PC-1) for installation of closed-circuit TV cameras at all major parks, on Friday.

The orders were given to create a sense of safety and security amongst the visitors as well as to ensure criminals roaming inside recreational spaces were nabbed.

The governor also directed to examine the possibility of establishing libraries or reading rooms in parks and also ensuring proper lighting at the recreation centres.

The meeting held at Governor House was attended by principal secretary to the Governor Muhammad Hussain Syed, secretary local government Baqaullah Unnar, administrator Karachi Laeeq Ahmed, KMC director general parks Abdullah Mushtaq and other concerned officials.

The administrator was further asked to establish Mohallah Management Committees (MMCs) for the day-to-day care and monitoring of the parks.

“This would develop a sense of ownership amongst the concerned citizens and they would do their utmost to monitor, protect and preserve their parks,” Ebad opined.

He also directed the DG Parks to consult renowned botanists to ensure plantation of saplings and trees keeping in accordance with the city’s climate so as to not only ensure beautification of city but also to minimise the environmental pollution.

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working for
the betterment of environment were also told to be taken on board to spread awareness regarding importance of
tree plantation and its benefits on the environment, he added.

The governor said he would be paying visits to major parks of the city next week in order to personally monitor the development work.

Mushtaq informed the governor that KMC was managing 35 parks and 31 main roads of the city and that besides carrying out beautification work at the parks and roads emphasis was also being laid on planting new trees.

He further briefed Ebad about the development works at Aga Khan Park, Hosh Muhammad Sheedi Shaheed Park, Moin Akhter Park, New Clifton Garden, Aunty Park, Benazir Park, Umer Sharif Park, Bagh-e-Ibne Qasim, Bagh-e-Jinnah, Aziz Bhatti Park, Hill Park, Jheel Park and Stadium Park.

Ebad was further briefed over beautification work at Shahra-e-Qaideen, Sharea Faisal, 4-K Chowrangi and other roads. As many as 1,000 trees were being prepared in KMC nurseries for plantation on road sides.