Murad lauds KMC, DMCs, SSWMB, LB representatives for cleaning city during Eid, rains

As many as 4.37 CFT (cubic feet) of sludge has been removed from 54 nullahs, including 18 connecting drains so far in Karachi, while 63,000 tons of offal was lifted during three days of Eidul Azha from various parts of the city and shifted to the dumping site, and this is why the people have appreciated the government efforts in this regard.

This was shared with the participants of a meeting held under the chairmanship of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah at the CM House on Friday.

The meeting was attended by provincial ministers Saeed Ghani and Syed Nasir Shah, law adviser Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Shahalwani, Secretary for Local Government Roshan Shaikh, Managing Director SSWMB (Sindh Solid Waste Management Board) Kashif Gulzar, KWSB Managing Director Khalid Shaikh, PD CLICK (Competitive and Liveable City of Karachi) Project Zubair Channa and Masood Alam of the KMC and others.

CLICK Project Director Zubair Channa told the chief minister that by August 6, 4.47 cubic feet of sludge had been removed from 36 big nullahs of the KMC and 18 nullahs of the DMCs.

The nullahs de-silted so far are as follows:

District Central: 4200 Nullah has been cleaned by 80 per cent, 5200 Nullah by 75 percent, 5000 Nullah 60 per cent, Qalandar Nullah 25 per cent, an 9000 Nullah five per cent.

District East: Mehmoodabad/Zehri Nullah, Manzoor Colony Nullah and Azam Basti Nullah have been cleared by 80 per cent, Pehlwan Goth Nullah by 75 per cent, Sonagl Nullah 70 per cent, Chakora Nullah 60 per cent, Essa Nagri Nullah 25 per cent and Nipa Drain and Aziz Bhatti Drain by 10 per cent.

District West: Haroobabad Nullah have been cleaned by 80 per cent, Shershah Nullah, Orangi Nullah, Hub Road Nullah by 50 per cent and Mowach Goth Nullah by 20 per cent.

District Korangi: 13000 Road Nullah has been cleaned by 90 per cent, 12000 Road Nullah by 85 per cent, 10,000 Road and 9000 Road Nullahs by 50 per cent and 7000 Road and Azeempur Nullahs by 50 per cent.

District South: Kalri, Soldier Bazaar and Nehr-e-Khayyam Nullahs have been cleaned by 80 per cent, Soldier Bazaar, Frere and Pitcher Nullahs by 70 per cent, and City Nullah 60 per cent.

District Malir: Mehran Cut Nullah has been cleaned by 70 per cent, Mehran Highway Nullah 60 per cent and Lalabad Nullah 10 per cent.

Apart from it, the sludge removal operation has been launched at 18 small or connecting Nullahs administered by the DMCs. The overall sludge lifted and dumped at landfill sites comes to 4.37 cubic feet.

Commissioner Iftikahr Shahalwani, in his initial report, told the chief minister that due to preemptive measures rainwater did not cross M-9; therefore, Saadi Town and the grid station remained safe during this monsoon rains. There were some choking points such as Safoora, Safari Park , Nagan Chowrangi, KDA Chowrangi where dewatering machines were installed to clear the areas. The Malir Lath Dam did not overflow; therefore, nearby areas remained safe.

The dewatering of the Muslim Gymkhana and Wazir Mansion areas were cleared through machines.

Hub River Road was chocked in the evening which was cleared by 7pm. Surjani Town and Yousuf Goth were cleared of rainwater through machines.

SSWMB: MD SSWMB Kashif Gulzar Shaikh told the chief minister that originally they had the civic responsibilities related to West, Malir, South and East districts of the city to lift offal, but on the directives of the chief minister they also lifted offal from areas in Central, West and Korangi districts.

The chief minister was told that overall 2.4 million cattle heads, including 1.2 million smaller ones such as goats and sheep, were slaughtered on the Eid; therefore, 63,000 tons of offal was lifted and buried at designated areas. At this, Mayor Wasim Akhtar said that this time the minister for local government had involved elected representatives of local bodies, which ensured efficient and proper lifting of offal.