KARACHI - The "Rehabilitation and Improvement of Sewerage System of Korangi Industrial Area Karachi may not be completed on time due to slow releases of funds by the federal government, sources told The Nation. The federally funded this project involving cost of Rs487.072 million has been started in financial year 2006-07 aimed to improve the sewerage systems in industrial area of the city. The 80 per cent funding of the project- Rs389.656 million is being borne by the federal government while remaining 20 per cent funding-Rs97.414 million by the City District Government Karachi. Though, the schedule of completion of this project is FY2009-10 but it likely will not be completed on time owing to delay in release of funds by federal governments and other problems. According to concerned officials of the project told The Nation that the delay releasing of funds by the federal government is leading further delay in completion of the project while the cost of the project would also increase. Official informed that in the first financial year 2006-07, the federal government had released more than allocated amount of Rs75 million. But, in FY2007-08, the central government released merely Rs156 million which was Rs67.8 million less than allocated share of Rs223.8 million for the project, official said. According to official, the federal government has earmarked Rs67.8 million in current FY2008-09 for this project but, so far, not a single penny has been released by the Islamabad. Meanwhile, the federal government had released Rs281 million for this project which was much less than allocated share of Rs366.6 million during financial year 2006-07 and 2007-08. Informing about the objective and reason behind initiation of this project, official said the existing sewerage system in Korangi industrial area has outlived it designed life and is in shambles. The roads and streets of this industrial area remain flooded with sewerage and most of the industrial units are discharging their sewerage into nearby storm water drain which too remain filled with garbage and silt which creating unhygienic condition in this huge industrial area generating significant revenue for the government, he said, adding that the existing sewerage system was laid around 40 years back and most of the system has collapsed during 1977 flood in Karachi. The sewerage system has been partially made operative during the last few years taking temporarily measure however complete rehabilitation and renovation of the system was essentially required to improve the environment condition in the area which has been taken in hand under this project, he said. Official said that the relevant authority of the project has approached the federal government for timely release of funds as project has already delayed.