Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has directed the local government department to take necessary measures to implement Lyari development package which include Rs 1 billion uplift schemes, provision of water within three months and establishment of BilawalBhuttoEngineeringCollege in Lyari.
He said this while presiding over meeting on the development of Lyari at CM House on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by Minister for Local Government Sharjeel Memon, Minister for Katchi Abbadis Jawed Nagori, Principal Secretary to CM Alamuddin Bullo, Additional Chief Secretary (Development) Waseem Ahmed, Secretary Local Government Imran Atta Soomro, Secretary Special Initiative Aijaz Ali Baig, Administrator KMC Saqib Soomro, MD KWSB Qutubddin Shaikh, representatives of Lyari and others.
The chief minister said the PPP had a very popular slogan of roti, kapra aur makan. Under the manifesto of the party, PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari announced Rs 1 billion Lyari package in the public meeting he addressed at Kakri Ground on April 26.
He said the Lyari package includes construction of low-cost residential apartments, establishment of BilawalBhuttoEngineeringCollege, provision of water within three months. “I want to implement the water supply scheme within three months as desired by party chief. Therefore, a workable and practical step must be taken,” he said.
Minister for Katchi Abadi Nagori said that Lyari was located at the tail of the city below the sea level. Therefore, rehabilitation of its drainage system needed to be given first priority; otherwise, it would be quite difficult to save the old area in case of heavy down pour, he added.
The chief minister directed Sharjeel Memon to upgrade all the pumping stations suction pumps installed to extract the sewerage water from Lyari. “Meanwhile, survey of rehabilitation of the old water supply line laid during the tenure of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto be conducted. The RO plants installed there should also be made operational. Our party chief has given three months to you and I am giving you two and half months to fulfil his promise,” he said.
The chief minister also directed the ACS (development) Waseem Ahmed to prepare a scheme of BilwalBhuttoEngineeringCollege. On this, Waseem said that Rs 500 million had already been allocated for the purpose. “The foundation stone of the college can be laid whenever the government decides,” he said.