‘Solid waste management system a big issue of Karachi’

KARACHI: Commissioner Karachi Syed Asif Haider Shah has said that solid waste management system had become a big issue of Karachi, as it is generating 12,000 tons of solid waste daily against the handling capacity of only 4,500 tons daily.

Addressing the office-bearers and members of the Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) at its premises on Tuesday, Shah said that solid waste management issue would be resolved after creation of Solid Waste Management Board that would soon be operational.

He said that anti-encroachment operation in Karachi would start soon that would be made effective so that no encroachments reemerge again.

In order to improve the traffic on Karachi roads new underpasses and overhead bridges would be constructed and the Sindh government will provide funds in this regard.

He said that in order to provide low-cost housing to the poor of the city the World Bank president would be approached during his visit to Pakistan for a soft loan.

Shah also requested the ABAD members to play their role in the low-cost housing scheme and meeting with the World Bank president.

The commissioner Karachi said that his management is working to improve water supply and drainage issues in the city.

He said technical support would be provided to the beggars and support to the needy, while a crackdown would be launched against the professional beggars in the third phase.

On the issue raised by the ABAD chairman, the commissioner said that material dumping tax would be collected by the district municipal committees as was decided by the former commissioner and Karachi Municipal Committee would not interfere in that issue and any such complaint could be registered in his office.

Shah suggested that the builders should take care of service lane and surroundings to their buildings. He also requested them to construct all buildings under the building bylaws and provide parking space to the commuters.

Earlier, ABAD Chairman Muhammad Hanif Gohar said the DMC and KMC are collecting double taxes from the builders in the name of material dumping tax despite former commissioner’s decision that only DMC would collect the tax.

He pointed out towards several schemes of the builders where people had built encroachments at their areas and appealed for their removal.

Gohar said that the construction industry is the second largest job provider sector in the country after agriculture, so the issues of this sector should be resolved on a priority basis.

It was decided that a focal / coordination committee would be established at each district level that would listen to the issues related to them and would take action to resolve them on a priority basis.