20000116

Call to declare

municipal emergency

in city

KARACHI: SWT, a welfare trust, working for development of parks and trees and upgradation of environmental conditions, has expressed concern over the civic conditions after just 19 mm of rain fall in Karachi.

In a statement Chairperson Shahida Chishti, said the rains have exposed the claims of KMC and DMCs about the so-called steps they took for cleanliness of the city.

A mild rainfall made this city of 12 million to give a pathetic look only because of lack of proper and practical planning by civic agencies, she said.

These conditions, she said, fully corroborate the SWT's repeated assertions for imposition of "municipal emergency" in this city to carry out much needed sanitation drive with the pooling of all available resources of KMC and five DMCs.

Under the emergency, she said, if lethargic municipal officials are put on work, much-needed improvement in sanitary and deteriorating environmental conditions can be brought about. But it is not being done only because of indifferent attitude.

She pointed out that while the government is paying attention on rebuilding various ruined sectors, there is need to pay attention on the provision of basic amenities to people alongwith upgradation of environmental conditions.

Shahida said that while every sector of national life was politicised during the previous governments, the basic necessities for people of urban and rural areas of the country were ignored.

She said SWT strived for beautification of cities and upgradation of polluted environmental conditions for the good of people, but the previous rulers made something else there priorities.

Shahida recalled that it was on the initiative of her welfare trust that Sindh Assembly passed the Trees and Municipal Emergency Act.

These acts were aimed at the attainment of above objectives but in the wake of quite contrasting priorities of the ousted government, the trees and parks bill and municipal emergency bill passed by Sindh Assembly awaited an assent from the governor.

She said it is high time that the Chief Executive should also pay attention and give priority to these issues of public importance. She requested that respective provincial governments be directed to enforce municipal emergencies in their provinces to muster their available resources and spend the same on improvement of deteriorated municipal services.ÑAPP