KARACHI: Caretaker Chief Minister of Sindh Justice (retired) Maqbool Baqar on Thursday handed over eight snorkels, procured for Rs1.35 billion, to the municipal corporations of Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Nawabshah, Mirpurkhas and Larkana.

The snorkels distribution ceremony was hosted by Local Government Minister Mubin Jumani in the office of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation.

The ceremony was attended by Sindh Information Minister Ahmad Shah, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, Hyderabad Mayor Kashif Shoro, LG Secretary Manzoor Shaikh, other mayors and officials.

The CM handed over three snorkels to Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and one each to Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur and Larkana.

Addressing the ceremony, the chief minister highlighted a grave issue related to the high-rise buildings in Karachi. He pointed out that many of these buildings lacked proper firefighting systems, equipment and fire exits. “In the event of a fire, the residents living on higher floors are at great risk of getting trapped, which can lead to the loss of both life and property,” he added.

Justice Baqar emphasised the importance of having a proper firefighting mechanism in place. “To achieve this, the provincial government has already ordered a fire safety audit of buildings,” he said, adding that the aim was to identify any defects in the buildings and see that builders rectified them to ensure safety of residents and occupants.

The chief minister stated that it was the shared responsibility of the government and civic agencies to ensure that there were adequate firefighting machines to handle fire incidents. “As a result, the government has been investing in buying fire trucks and snorkels for aerial firefighting,” he said.

Justice Baqar said that being the chief minister, he had fulfilled his commitment to the people of the province by providing aerial firefighting equipment, known as snorkels, to make their lives more secure.

He said that the snorkels imported from Indonesia were state-of-the-art firefighting machines. “Despite not having the required number of fire engines that cities like Karachi and others need, the snorkels are a step towards building more efficient firefighting departments that are well-equipped to handle fire incidents, ensuring the safety of residents,” he added.

The local government minister said that he had directed all local bodies to develop their firefighting systems for the protection of their people. “The firefighting system will ultimately become part of the Rescue 1122,” he added.

Local Government Secretary Manzoor Shaikh told the audience that the provincial government had originally ordered 15 snorkels but only eight could be procured due to the dollar-rupee parity.

He said that the snorkels had arrived at the KPT but were currently stuck there due to customs duties. “However, the chief minister approved Rs350 million to get the snorkels released and they are now being handed over to the mayors,” he added.

KWSC control room

After launching the snorkels, the chief minister visited the KWSC control room. From there, the movement of the institution’s seven hydrants working in the city is monitored.

During the visit, the chief minister ordered the KW&SC to regulate the prices of water tankers, as there were complaints of overcharging.

Justice Baqar remarked that the purpose of establishing or running the hydrants was to provide water to the water-deficient areas, but the ‘private tanker mafia’ had turned it into a money-making source.

He asked the officers concerned to take immediate measures to stop this practice.

Published in Dawn, January 12th, 2024