Chief Secretary Sindh Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah said the provincial government decided to engage community through Public Private Partnership to rehabilitate and make parks sustainable which were cleared from encroachment.

He said that a committee headed by the Commissioner Karachi to formulate Adopt A-Park policy draft.

The committee comprising secretary local government, metropolitan commissioner and representatives of different schools and other organisations. The draft will be sent to the Sindh Cabinet for further approval and recommendations.

He said the provincial government had decided to engage civil society, schools, reputed organisations and the community for the rehabilitation of parks which were cleared from encroachment drying the anti-encroachment drive in the metropolitan.

Presiding over a meeting, he said the government had removed encroachments from 138 parks, while encroachments from 79 parks to be removed.

He said the provincial government cleared as many as 138 parks under encroachment drive in different parts of the Karachi and there was chance of re-encroachment of those parks if same were not rehabilitated or maintained properly.

He further stated the Adopt A-Park programme will provide participants and community with a sense of park ownership and an outlet to give back to the community. "Other countries are also implementing such ideas to keep their parks clean and foster more involvement by local citizens" he added.

"We also have a successful model of Adopt A-School, the programme facilitates private sector and civil society to adopt public or government-run schools and undertake educational improvements for children. And Sindh government through education department monitors the schools and the Sindh Education Foundation plays a facilitating role between the school and the adopter by providing technical assistance and monitoring for school improvement."

Through the Adopt A-Park programme the provincial government will provide with all technical assistance and expertise to the adopters through forest department and other departments.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019