‘After land grabbers, city govt’s next target water tanker mafia’

The city’s tanker mafia has become very powerful and a comprehensive strategy is being worked out to launch a major operation against it, District Coordination Officer (DCO) Roshan Ali Shaikh said on Tuesday.
“Preparation is under way and action will be launched against the water tanker mafia soon,” he said at the luncheon hosted by the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI).
He said that the city government has fulfilled the industrialists’ demand that Mehran Town should be recovered from the clutches of the land mafia.
“We were warned not to enter the inner areas of Mehran Town as members of the land mafia might open fire on us, but we still managed to conduct five ant-encroachment operations in the area,” he added.
“A comprehensive strategy is being prepared to carry out a major anti-encroachment operation in Mehran Town.”
HE said that said garbage generated in the limits of the Defence Housing Authority and cantonment boards is still being dumped in the city.
“Dumping of garbage is banned in the city under Section 144 and now legal action will be taken against the town administrator concerned if this activity carries on including seizure of vehicle used for this purpose.”
The DCO said the city governments run the affairs of industrial areas in other cities, but in Karachi, it has a limited role. “Therefore, we need close coordination between the city government and representatives of industrial areas like KATI.”
He said that a special cleaning campaign will be launched in the Korangi industrial zone and a mechanical sweeping machine for roads will also be stationed there.
The DCO also said it would be beneficial for Karachi and its industrialist community if the city government and KATI join hands to set up a livestock, dairy and poultry estate, which is much needed in the city.
He said that the construction of the Malir Expressway will play great role in providing better facility to industrialists and they should therefore cooperate with the city government in its construction.
KATI President Ehtishamuddin, SM Munir, Mian Zahid Hussain, Masood Naqi, Faraz-ur-Rehman, Zubair Chaya and Mohammad Nadeem also spoke on the occasion.