KARACHI, April 19: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad on Thursday said that the government was taking concrete steps to resolve the problem of public transport in Karachi, adding that more CNG buses would soon arrive in the city.
Talking to a delegation of the Clinton Climate Initiative of the Clinton Foundation that called on him at the Governor's House, he said that the federal government had allocated Rs5billion to improve the public transport system.
For purchasing new CNG buses, transporters had to provide just 20 per cent of equity as the government wanted to solve the public transport issue through public-private partnership, he said.
The governor pointed out that the aim of bringing in CNG buses was to focus on improving environment and streamlining industrialisation process along modern lines so that a check on industrial pollution could also be placed.
He also referred to the city government’s efforts to cope with environmental challenges, particularly safe disposal of harmful waste.
Karachi is the one of the largest cities of the world and is faced with many environmental challenges as no government in past has given proper attention to this issue, he said.
He said that no master plan for this mega city was prepared in six decades, adding that the present city government was making one which would be a comprehensive plan.
He told the delegation that a treatment plant had been set up in Korangi with the assistance of the federal government to treat industrial waste while the city government was also working on many projects of sewerage treatment plants which would help reduce sea pollution and protect marine life.
The city government was working on the concept of ‘Greener Karachi’ for the first time and this would greatly help make this city clean and green, he said.—PPI
