Factories being shifted to industrial estate to check urbanisation in Faisalabad

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FAISALABAD – Faisalabad Divisional Commissioner Tahir Hussain said on Tuesday the industrial units located in the urban areas were being shifted gradually out of the city to the industrial estate near Khurrianwala to overcome the problems of urbanisation and industrial pollution.
He was talking to a 16-member team of under-training officers from National Institutue of Management (NIM) Peshwar, who arrived here for a five-day field study tour to get acquainted with the functioning of the district management system. The team, headed by faculty member, Akbar Zaman, on the first day of their visit was warmly welcomed by Divisional Commissioner Tahir Hussain at his office. The delegation comprised Zafar Iqbal, Hamid Mehmuf Rana, Shakil Qaisar Kiyani, Nadeem Haider Kiyani, Zulfiqar Ali Shah, Abbas Ahmed Meer, Arshad Iqbal, Khalid Ilyas, Muhammad Khalid, Ishtiaq Ahmad Aqil, Saleem Iqbal, Haroon Rasheed, Muhammad Saleem Khan, Habibullah Khattak, Akmal Zaman and Muhammad Tayyab.
During the meeting, the divisional commissioner briefed the visiting officers on the geographical, socio-economic and development activities of the four districts of the division, Faisalabad, Jhang, Chiniot and Toba Tek Singh. The delegation was told that Faisalabad, being a hub of textile industry, was contributing the foreign exchange of more than 3 billion dollars annually through the export of textile products.
Responding to various questions of the officers, the divisional commissioner discussed at length the causes of migration of rural population towards the city. Tahir also disclosed the details of the vocational and technical education being imparted to cater to the needs of local job market and address the issue of unemployment. AC (R) Shafqatullah Mushtaq assisted the commissioner during the presentation.
The team members were amazed to have the firsthand knowledge of the development taking place in Faisalabad. They thanked the commissioner for providing graphic details of all aspects of life.
Later, the team visited the district coordination office where DCO Naseem Sadiq briefed them on the performance of the city district government and the geographical profile of the district. He highlighted the city government’s revolutionary campaign towards the extension and beautification of roads. He said various development and welfare project were being executed for the uplift and beautification of the city.
He told the visiting delegation that the development programs had been given new dimensions. He said the available resources were being utilised most prudently and judiciously for timely completion of development schemes.
He said Rs 132 million were being spent on the road rehabilitation programme while the building of General Hospital had been completed at a cost of Rs 615.45 million. He added Samanabad Hospital would be completed at a cost of Rs 125.638 million. In addition, a drug testing laboratory was being set up with the funds of Rs 48.62 million, he revealed.
Naseem Sadiq highlighted the current initiatives of the city district government and said the modernization of general bus stand, establishment of a new colony at Chak No 8 Sargodha Road, removal of unauthorised transport stands from Abdullapur Chowk and shifting of Bakkar Mandi (goat market) outside the city had already been undertaken.
He made a special mention of anti-beggary and anti-drug campaigns being undertaken as a regular feature to eradicate these social menaces from the city. He further stated the facilities of public toilets were being provided to the citizens at various points while the uplift schemes of renovation/development of Canal Road and Sirwala Rajba had also been initiated.
The DCO took pleasure to tell the delegates that the city district government has introduced a pioneering project of computerized property deeds transfer system in revenue department that is first ever in Punjab. He told that the scheme is being replicated in the other district of the province under the CM’s directions.
Taking a quick look at some of the forth coming projects, Naseem Sadiq announced that the construction of ring road, four under passes in the city, establishment of the parking plazas and modern slaughter house, setting up a modern textile expo centre, scientific disposal of solid waste and other different development projects had been proposed as a future plans.
The presentation was attended by Executive District Officers Liaqat Chatha, Irshad Shah, Ashiq Dogar, Ch. Liaqat Ali, Asif Tarar and a number of other officials including Muhammad Ahmad Rabjana, Khalid Manzur, Ch. Munir.