KARACHI – On the advice of President Asif Ali Zardari, the Sindh chief secretary has formed a committee to resolve the issue of the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) land, where the first module of the S-III project has to be established.
The body comprises the Land Utilisation (LU) member, the executive district officer revenue and the settlement and survey director.
KPT Secretary Khalid Mobin Arshad had forwarded a letter to the chief secretary on January 1 to remind him that in a meeting with the KPT chairman in December at Bilawal House, the president had suggested forming a committee to resolve the KPT land issue.
Arshad had requested in the letter that instructions be issued for forming the committee and resolving the land issue so that the KPT could establish the first module of the S-III project.
“During the meeting, a presentation explained that 100 acres are required at Mai Kolachi for establishing a wetland park to treat 60MGD of sewage coming in through various nullahs.”
The presentation described that treatment of sewage would be carried out by an anaerobic process, wherein the treated water would be aerated and polished in the wetland area.
This project would not only treat sewage, but also save the mangroves, provide a recreational and educational park, generate power through production of methane gas, and provide irrigation water for the adjoining parks and residential areas.
Various studies, surveys and designing have already been completed and now the project is at the stage of being awarded a contract, but it is being held up because of the land issue.
S-III is an Rs 8 billion project in which KPT has 33 percent share and the rest of the funds would be borne by other stakeholders.
Last January, the then federal ports and shipping minister Babar Khan Ghauri had stated while presiding the second meeting of the Marine Pollution Control Board that the S-III project was to be started on fast-track basis.
With the help of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Air Force, City District Government Karachi, KPT, Defence Housing Authority, and federal and Sindh governments, it is hoped that the S-III project would produce the desired results.
Besides executing the S-III project, other major decisions were also taken in the meeting, such as banning plastic bags, fining industries that are causing pollution, making the masses aware of sea pollution and organising beach-cleaning activities.
The KPT secretary said that the level of pollution has increased in the coastal belt of the city as some 13 sewerage nullahs have been identified for polluting seawater. “The Environment Ministry would issue notices to these industries and legal action would also be taken.”
