KARACHI: The general body meeting of the council of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) was held on Thursday in the council hall of the KMC head office under the chairmanship of Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab. During the meeting, a total of 13 different resolutions were approved.
At the beginning of the meeting, prayer was held for the Palestinians who were martyred in Gaza and those who died in the recent fire in the shopping mall in Karachi. The city council through two resolutions which were approved unanimously, condemning Israel’s aggression in strong terms demanded the international powers, especially Muslim countries, to play an effective role in ending the Israeli aggression in Gaza.
During the meeting, the resolution on the establishment of the Karachi Metropolitan Museum under the Department of Culture and Sports was approved, where the historical references of the last 70 years of Karachi will be preserved for public awareness.
The Council approved the establishment of Enforcement and Implementation Depar-tment in KMC and its schedule of establishment that is aimed at maintaining a better, safe and sanitary condition of Karachi and for increasing revenue by using the available powers, The schedule of establishment has one post of Director (Chief Inspector) and Additional Director each in the newly established department. Other employees included, these posts art taken from different departments of KMC.
Among other resolutions passed by majority votes during the proceedings of the meeting, City Council approved naming the underpass from Johar Chowrangi to Habib University in Gulstan e Johar after ‘Palestine Martyrs’, permission to use formerly Alladin Park and adjoining 16 acres of land for Bus Depot of Trans Karachi (BRT) Red Line Project in light of Provincial Cabinet Summary, urgent development of the red line project from Safoora Chowrangi to M A Jinnah Road joining it to the Green Line and extension of Green Line project from M A Jinnah Road under BRT.
Taking into consideration the public difficulties, it is recommended that the federal government take immediate steps to speed up the work on these projects. Under the Sindh Local Government Act 2013 (Amended 2023) to the Anti-Encroachment Department of KMC to levy an annual levy/
tax on all BTS (Mobile Phone Towers) installed under the jurisdiction of KMC.
Other resolutions include the increase in amount of Imprest account for Leader of the House and Leader of the Opposition in KMC and the Katchi Abadis Department, utilising of 100% charges received from Abbasi Shaheed Hospital in KMC (User Charges) for running the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. A resolution was also passed recommending an immediate end to gas load shedding in the megacity.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023