Mazdoor Union (CBA) of the defunct Karachi Development Authority (KDA) is not only striving hard for the revival of the old status of KDA, but also wants Lyari Development Authority (LDA) and Malir Development Authority (MDA) be merged into the former, it has emerged on Wednesday.
Though the KDA should have been restored with the restoration of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) following the revival of Commissionerate System of 1979 in early November but no decision has been taken so far by the authorities concerned about the future of the authority, plunging thousands of KDA employees into sheer anxiety.
Sindh Chief Minister held a meeting on November 21 in which it was decided that separate meetings would be held with regards to Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) and Karachi Development Authority (KDA) and other relevant issues. However, the issue has not yet been resolved. General Secretary KDA Mazdoor Union Ashfaque Chishti told Business Recorder that LDA and MDA had not performed well during the last 11 years after KDA was made defunct.
He noted that both the authorities failed to complete a single scheme transferred to them and could not start any new scheme during the period. He charged that billion of rupees were embezzlement by the high officials of LDA and MDA. He, however, said that the KDA had tremendous achievements that were hailed all over the country and by United Nations and World Bank's agencies.
He said if the government ensured payment of salaries to the employees of KDA for one year by restoring its previous status and appointed a Director General from inside the authority, KDA could be rejuvenated once again. "If the government extends its support, I believe the KDA will be able to start new schemes, besides completing the ongoing schemes successfully," he added. Chishti said that Mazdoor Union was all set to record a big protest in next couple of days for restoration of KDA's old status.