KARACHI: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Saturday strictly directed the district municipal corporations (DMCs) to ensure that no vehicle downloaded or dumped debris and garbage along the embankment of storm water drains so that there should be no problem in the drainage of rainwater.

Presiding over a meeting of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, seven DMCs and District Council Karachi, he said that he had already directed the police to impound vehicles dumping garbage near or along the drains and take strict action against the violators.

The chief minister said that he had noticed that people were dumping debris along the embankments of the nullahs. “This is unacceptable, and I have already directed the police to impound such vehicles and take strict action against them,” he said and warned the DMCs to ensure that no vehicle could dare to download or dump debris along the embankment of the nullahs within their limits.

Murad asks KMC, DMCs to get ready for rains

The meeting was attended by Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Shah, Advisor Law Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi, LG Secretary Najam Shah, Administrator KMC Saifur Rehman, KMC municipal commissioner and others.

The chief minister said that there was a forecast of heavy rains which could cause urban flooding, therefore monitoring of the nullahs for their smooth flow must be ensured. “Recently all the major three nullahs have been cleaned and lined, therefore there should be no problem in the disposal of rainwater into them,” he said and added the connecting nullah falling in the jurisdiction of the DMCs and district councils must be maintained.

Briefing the CM, the local government minister said that he had already held a number of rain emergency meetings with local bodies. He assured the chief minister that local bodies were prepared enough to meet the rain emergency.

Improvement of revenue

The chief minister directed the KMC and DMCs to take necessary measures to increase their revenues. “The provincial government will keep supporting the local bodies but, in principle, the local bodies have to generate their revenues, improve their recoveries and try to be self-sufficient,” he said.

Murad Ali Shah said that recovery of property tax had been handed over to the local bodies—DMCs and district council—and they had to ensure an increase in the recoveries. “If the local bodies administrations focus on the proper recoveries of property tax they would be able to meet all their financial requirements, including carrying out development works in their respective areas,” he observed.

The CM also directed the water board to improve its recovery and financially stabilise the organisation.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2023