Sindh Assembly to soon pass bill banning use of plastic bags, says Wahab

Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Tuesday announced that a bill banning the use of plastic bags would soon be passed by the Provincial Assembly of Sindh.

Wahab, who is also the Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) chairman, said that the KWSC is working on a water project worth Rs12 billion to lay a new canal and rehabilitate the existing canal for the Hub Dam, and that the project would be completed in 12 months.

He said that with the completion of the project, 200 million gallons a day (mgd) can be provided to Karachi from the Hub Dam, which would benefit the residents of District West, District Central, District Keamari, Lyari Town and other areas of the city.

Speaking at a press conference at the KWSC head office, he said Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and all the PPP members have promised to resolve people’s problems.

He said that steps have been taken in that direction, which shows that when the local and provincial governments are on the same page, instead of crying for power, they solve problems. Very soon everyone will see the city getting better, he added.

Wahab said that with the support of President Zardari and the PPP chief, the KWSC approved bringing additional water to the city. He said Karachi’s water share from the federation is 100mgd, but due to faults in the water supply system, the city only receives 50mgd to 55mgd.

“We are putting a new canal on the Hub Dam, after which another 1,500mgd will reach the city from this new canal and the old canal. The new canal will be built for Rs9.8 billion,” he added. He pointed out that the project would be approved on an emergency basis.

The mayor said the federal government is working on the K-IV project to fetch water from the Keenjhar Lake. He said the Sindh government had sent a project of Rs77 billion to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council on August 8, 2023, which had been approved, and its authorisation had to be issued.

He pointed out that the city’s water shortage would be removed from the Hub Canal projects and the K-IV. He said projects costing Rs12 billion have been made for sewage drainage in different city areas.

“Work will be started as soon as the approval is received,” he said, adding that the Murghi Khana Bridge would be widened further, and the carpeting would be done by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation. As for the Clifton Bridge, he said that it has been restored on an emergency basis.

Wahab said the Sindh chief minister held a meeting about the Lyari Expressway a day earlier and asked the federal government to allow heavy traffic on the expressway so that it reaches its destination by covering a distance of 13km instead of 32km through the city, and this would also save fuel.

He said the Malir Expressway would also be completed by July 2025. “In this way, two expressways will be available for heavy traffic in the city, which will improve the flow of traffic in the inner city.”

He added that every year they spend millions of rupees on cleaning the storm water drains, but due to plastic bags, all their efforts go in vain. He pointed out that plastic bags have been banned in Islamabad. “I have requested the chief minister of Sindh to legislate on banning plastic bags. This law will be approved in the Sindh Assembly soon.”

He said the Sindh Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited is constructing the Green Line bus rapid transit project on MA Jinnah Road, due to which people are facing problems. The prime minister has been requested to solve this important issue on a preferential basis, he added.