KARACHI - The Sindh cabinet on Monday approved signing of an agreement with a private party to beautify and develop Nahr-e-Khayam into a recreational point where people could enjoy with their families.
“This will be a gift for the people of Karachi as they will enjoy sailing in boats. People with a taste for reading will enjoy reading books, newspapers and other reading material, while those fond of tea or coffee would love to take sips of their favourite drink,” Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said while presiding over a provincial cabinet meeting here at New Sindh Secretariat.
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, all provincial ministers, advisors and concerned officials such as Sindh IGP Dr Kaleem Imam, Advocate General Salman Talibuddin, prosecutor general and others.
Provincial Minister for Local Government Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, on the occasion, presented an item of an agreement to be signed between the Sindh Government and PANI for developing Nahr-e-Khayam, and sought approval of the cabinet. Nahr-e-Khayam runs from Gizri to the sea. In fact, water travels both ways in the canal; that is during low tide from ground to the sea and during high tide from sea to the ground.
The cabinet was told that for the last few years sewage was being discharged into the Nahr and then into the sea.
The cabinet was informed that after a detailed meeting with the office-bearers of PANI, a draft agreement was proposed under which a park/recreational place would be developed by PANI over the area with Nahr-e-Khayam in its north and service lane in the south.
The cabinet was told that duration of the adoption of land by PANI would be 30 years. To ensure smooth sewage flow, which currently flows in Nahr-e-Khayam, a separate conduit is to be constructed by the Sindh government in the portion proposed for the development of the park. It was further informed that under the proposed agreement, the park will not be used for any political or commercial activity, except for the tuck shops etc and that the height of any structure will not be more than 15 feet. The chief minister said that the project had already been delayed, and therefore the cabinet should allow the local government department to sign the agreement and start development work on the area.
BAN ON PLASTIC BAGS
Replying to a query by the CM, Adviser to Chief Minister on Environment Murtaza Wahab said that a complete ban on manufacturing, sale, purchase and use of non-degradable plastic bags of all sizes would take effect from Tuesday (October 1, 2019). He said that only Oxo biodegradable plastic/shopping bags of different sizes, 10 into 14 to 30 into 40 with weight of 6 to 28 grams of 40 micron to 30 micron, single side would be manufactured, sold and used. The chief minister directed his adviser to meet with the manufacturers and sellers and take them into confidence for enforcement of the ban.
KWSB
The cabinet directed the Karachi Water & Sewerage Board (KWSB) to implement water and sewerage services charges/tariff as has been approved by the government in 2016.
GRATIS ARMS LICENCE FEE
On the request of the home department, the cabinet approved enhancement of fees of Gratis Arms Licence (non-prohibited bore) from Rs1,000 to Rs2,000 to meet the expenditures of scanning, lamination, printing, electricity, stationary, software development spent on the issuance of such computerized licences.
New Police Law
The home department told the cabinet that after revival of the Police Order, 2002, certain new steps needed to be taken such as framing of rules and regulations, issuance of executive orders, carrying out day to day activities related to field operations etc in conformity with the new law.
