Murad reviews rain emergency measures across Sindh.

KARACHI -- Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday directed the local government department to work out a detailed plan for desilting, cleaning and repair of natural storm-water drains so that funds could be released in time.

'I want all deputy commissioners, local bodies and water boards to be taken on board while envisaging a rain emergency plan so that full and final action could be taken,' he added.

This he said while presiding over a rain emergency meeting here at the CM House. The meeting was attended by Local Government Minister Nasir Shah, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Shallwani and other officials. The divisional commissioners and LG representatives, mayors/chairmen across the province joined the meeting through video link.

Promises funds for KMC

Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar told the chief minister that he was facing a financial shortfall to carry out desilting of drains.

At this, the chief minister advised the mayor to enhance KMC financial resources, but said that the Sindh government would cover the shortfall and finance the desilting work.

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The chief minister directed the LG secretary to send him financial requirements through the finance secretary.

Mr Shah said that an $ million World Bank project was in the pipeline and most probably it would start within the next four months under which almost all the major drains of Karachi would be lined.

'We would construct fencing around the nullahs so that no encroachment could take place,' he said and added almost all the newly constructed major roads of the city had storm-water drains along them, therefore he was sure that rainwater would be cleared out.

The meeting was told that some civil works of different drains in Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur were required.

The LG secretary told the CM that taking all the deputy commissioners on board he had sent a summary of Rs229m to the chief minister.

The CM directed the mayor and commissioner of Karachi to work out a plan to avoid last year's Saadi Town-like situation.

He directed the mayor to expedite ongoing work on Mehran Nullah so that it may not overflow again and wreak havoc in Saadi Town.

Mr Shah also directed the Karachi commissioner to coordinate with K-Electric authorities for proper and uninterrupted power supply to the pumping stations of the KWSB.

The meeting decided that all the deputy commissioners...