Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has singed another Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a foreign firm on Wednesday to bring in foreign investment in the much awaited projects like solid waste management.
Administrator KMC Muhammad Hussain Syed signed the MoU with the Glasgow-based international firm during his visit to London, which is aimed at implementing the plan to dispose of nine thousand tons garbage daily in Karachi and to generate electricity from the garbage.
On behalf of the British firm, Cork Private Limited, Richard Cork signed the document. A high powered Pakistani delegation comprising Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan, Federal Minister for Port & Shipping Babar Khan Ghouri, Provincial Ministers Dr Saghir Ahmed, Raza Haroon, Adil Siddiqui, Faisal Sabzwari and Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq, Commissioner Karachi Roshan Ali Shaikh, High Commissioner of Pakistan Wajid Shams-ul-Hassan, British envoy to Pakistan and other were present on this occasion.
According to KMC officials, Administrator Karachi praised the sanitation system including picking and transfer of garbage to landfill site in London and Glasgow, which he said, was being run on scientific basis and could prove ideal for other cities.
Administrator Karachi said this MoU would be implemented soon and a clear change would be seen in this connection. With the production of electricity from garbage, not only the requirement of power would be fulfilled but it would also lead to useful disposal of a large quantity of garbage generated in the city.
Syed said that they wanted to avail full advantage of the experience and skills of the experts in London and Glasgow so that the sanitation system in Karachi could be made better. The professional excellence of the Glasgow Municipality and the immense experience of the international British firm would give KMC more facilities in Karachi.
Richard Cork said his firm had huge experience in the field of solid waste management and was serving in many countries successfully. He said Karachi was an international city and they would be pleased to serve there. Solid Waste Management System in Karachi would be set up in such a way that it did not put any adverse effect on the city population and only small vehicles were used for shifting of garbage from different areas of city to landfill sites. This garbage would be later used for generating electricity.
Administrator Karachi also met with the head of the medical department of Glasgow and talked with him about the agreement of purchase of ambulances for different hospitals run by the KMC. The MoU in this connection was expected to be signed on Thursday.
The delegation led by Governor of Sindh Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan also signed six MoUs with the Business Groups and Scotland University which were expected to bring in multi billion dollars investment in Karachi. Last month KMC and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) have signed a mutual co-operation agreement aiming at enhancing technical and vocational training in both cities. The MoU in this effect was signed in Istanbul during a meeting between KMC Administrator Muhammad Hussain Syed and Deputy Mayor of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Ahmed Salamat in which delegation from Pakistan and high officials of IMM were also present.