The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has stressed the need for collecting fees from oil tankers parked at the Zulfiqarabad Oil Terminal and using that income for the completion of the terminal.
For this purpose, KMC Administrator Laeeq Ahmed directed the corporation’s officers deployed at the terminal to make sure that all the oil tankers parked at the facility paid the fee.
"The terminal has a capacity for 3,200 tankers but only around 400 tankers are being parked here while illegal parking of oil tankers is being done in different areas of Karachi which creates hurdle in the traffic flow," he pointed out while visiting the oil terminal located on the National Highway on Saturday.
The oil terminal’s director, Raza Abbas Rizvi, Executive Engineer Rehman Shaikh and other officials were also present on the occasion.
According to a statement issued by the KMC, the administrator directed that the remaining work of the terminal should be completed as soon as possible so that the oil tanker parking at Shirin Jinnah Colony could be shifted.
He expressed the hope that oil tanker owners would cooperate with the corporation as they were being provided maximum facilities at the terminal.
Ahmed also passed directives for plantation at the terminal and reconstruction of roads leading to the terminal.
He was informed that the Board of Revenue had handed over 200 acres of land to the KMC for making the new oil terminal by shifting illegal parking from Shirin Jinnah Colony and other areas there. It was said that the KMC carried out the project despite shortage of funds.
"Out of 200 acres, more than 150-acre land is fixed for parking while other facilities are also being provided in the remaining part," the administrator was told. He was informed that shops of spare parts and other mechanical works were available at the terminal and a 54-inch-wide water line was laid there with the water tank having a capacity of 150,000 gallons.
The administrator also visited under-construction shops and inquired shopkeepers about their issues.
Fumigation
The KMC administrator has also kicked off a fumigation campaign in the city. He said the campaign would continue across the city for a month with the cooperation of the Saylani Welfare Trust.
On Saturday, fumigation was carried out in Rerhi Goth, Orangi No 5 till Sector 12, Qasba Colony, Pathan Colony and Numaish. As many as 12 vehicles took part in the campaign.
The administrator remarked that fumigation was necessary in the ongoing season. He maintained that it was the responsibility of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation to protect the citizens from mosquitos and germs, adding that lethargy would not be tolerated in this regard.
Ahmed said the KMC would welcome all the social and welfare organisations that wanted to work for the city. "This is a city of all of us and every citizen should play its due role for its development," he stated.
The KMC administrator directed the public health director to ensure that fumigation was carried out in each and every area of the city. The spray should be conducted manually in narrow streets, he said.
He added that the KMC was taking measures for reconstruction of roads, repairing of street lights, establishing new cemeteries and fumigation and its actions were visible on ground, due to which civil society organisations were cooperating with it.
