KARACHI - Newly elected local bodies remain toothless as major local departments and funds captured by the Sindh government, The Nation learnt.
World’s eighth largest city became a garbage yard in last couple of years while major departments including City Master Plan, Karachi Development Authority, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, Karachi Building Control Authority and Solid Waste Management working under the supervision of the local bodies since last local bodies government.
Tire Sindh government which ruled the city for last eight years, failed to resolve the basic issues of the city but captured the command of all such departments directly related to the welfare and infrastructure of the city and citizens.
Alter six years lull elected local government representatives could only get Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) to resolve the issues. KMC have already been facing financial crunch since last many years.
A senior representative of local bodies while talking to The Nation said that we got the designations alone after such a long exercise of elections. He said that during the delay of last six years Sindh government managed to take the control of lucrative departments but deliver nothing which resulting the city generates more than 70 per cent revenue of the country have ruined.
He pointed out that PPP leadership and their legislatures were hailed for entire Singh have no idea about the problems and issues of the city. He said that 70 per cent of the legislatures were not even visited district central and other adjoining areas of the city in their whole life than how they could realize the issues of the people where they rules.
As Sindh government took the control of Master Plan Department, KDA and Karachi Building Control Authority highly lucrative departments land mafias appeared in the city ruined the infrastructure, started China Cutting.
Despite the existence of a powerful department land grabbers were established number of illegal Goths (slum area), illegal public sale projects on government land, marriage lawns at the residential lands and Constructions of housing societies at the lands of public parks.
"Even various builders and developers occupied land of parks green belts arid streets while constructed multi-storey plazas." It considers a key reason that caused the destruction of the metropolis. Recently Chief Minister Sindh have regularized hundreds of Goths, constructed illegally on thousands of acres government land where occupants have no need to fulfil the any sort of legal requirements to construct houses or building without SBCA or KDA approvals.
Karachi building control authority has changed into the Sindh Building Control Authority in last couple years and also making booty of millions of rupees through its former and current high officials. Accountability Institutions were probe billion of rupees corruption in SBCA during the tenure of former Director General of Sindh Building Control Authority who were enjoy the slot during PPP last tenure and a short period of current government, later manage escaped from the country to avoid his arrest in corruption cases.
The former Director General and Current chief both belong to the entire Sindh have no idea of city’s infrastructure bypass the all bylaws of the authority and approved the illegal multi-storey buildings without fulfilling the legal requirement. Interestingly, a DG belongs to the metropolis got the slot for brief period but authorities have removed him within couple of months.
Another department which recently restored from defunct status after long years, known as Karachi Development Authority failed to fulfil its responsibility as its schemes like MBA Scheme-36 Known as Gulistan-e-Johar; Schem-44 known as Surjani Town, MBA Schenre-33 Gulshan-e-Maymar and Gulistan-e-Johar were change into dilapidated areas.
Locals of the areas have complained that all major and minor roads were destroyed due to lack of repairing works and lack of attention by the concern authorities. In these area public parks seems like garbage sites due to the absence of garbage lifting system.
Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KW&SB) also run in worst condition since the tenure of Mustafa Kamal. The organisation has failed to collect its monthly bills from the bulk and industrialist consumers causing facing a financial crisis. The organisation has unable to repair the dilapidated sewerage line and water supply lines.
KW&SB has not a handsome budget to repair its pumping machines that cause water board facing hurdle to provide water supply in various localities located at the altitude level of the city. Following the lack of maintenance work of sewerage system in city streets of various localities drowned in sewage water.
Acting Mayor of the city Dr Arshad Vohra when contacted told The Nation that we don’t want to take the control of all such department captured by Sindh government in last couple of years but demanded to take local bodies representatives into confidence or on board to resolve the issues.
He said that we don’t want any sort of confrontation but want to resolve citizen issues, He said that the city will rather destroyed if Sindh government ignores the local bodies in decision making ahead of tire issues of the metropolis.
Dr Vohra further said that its essential to remove the garbage from the street of the city and Sindh government department Solid Waste Management Board (SWMH) is responsible to take off the waste from the city. Dr Vohra demanded to taken city government on board at least in the meeting and decisions of SWMB.
In reply to question Minister Local Government Sindh Jam Khan Shoro told The Nation that we have much better coordination with Deputy Mayor and even with district chairmen. He said that Sindh government would facilitate them all level by any means. He said that KMC is an independent department must work properly while Sindh government would help them out if they need.