PPP ~ Development projects and modernisation of Sindh

Qalandari · Mar 13, 2015

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Transforming Tharparkar: RO plants in Thar working effectively, says senior judge

KARACHI: Senior civil judge Mian Fayyaz Rabbani, who has been nominated by the government as the inspecting judge on the Thar issue, said in a report submitted to the Sindh High Court that reverse osmosis (RO) plants were effectively being operated by trained staff members in most of the villages, where people were being provided with potable water.

“Underground water is sufficiently available generally throughout District Tharparkar; the RO plants are operating on solar energy and the plant shuts down when the water tank is full,” stated the report titled ‘Revolutionise Tharparkar with Reverse Osmosis’.

Judge Rabbani also said in the report that high service reservoirs community tanks might be constructed and connected to the nearest RO plant in each village so that the people might get sufficient water by the force of gravity to the nearest collection point from their houses.

“I am submitting this report during my frequent visits while inspecting relief activities from time to time in District Tharparkar. In each village people are taking water from the tanks located near the RO plants, which are mostly too small.”

He suggested having larger water tanks alongside the RO filtration plants so that the additional water purified from the plants might be used for drip irrigation system and vegetation to produce edible crops, fruits, fodder and trees at limited level to cater to the needs of the particular village to mitigate drought.

He referred to a case study of the Sobharo Shah village, where fruits and vegetables were being grown using filtered water from an RO plant and the people were getting various fresh crops.

“The growth in vegetation of the district can affect the climate of the area positively in the shape of higher amount of rain and adding to the fertility of the land.”

The judge said provision of water was a fundamental human requirement and the people had the right to be provided safe water for drinking and sanitation; therefore, the government and NGOs could take further steps and build toilets in villages.

“I want to submit here that an RO plant be installed in every village of District Tharparkar so that the lives of the locals could be made a bit easier,” he said in the report, adding that a social campaign could be initiated by the government and NGOs to collect funds sufficient for supplying potable water to the district.

Qalandari · Mar 13, 2015

Sindh govt increases budgetary allocation for polio eradication

KARACHI: Sindh Government during current fiscal year has increased its budgetary provision to Rs630 million supplementing the efforts of national and international organisations working for polio eradication.

A senior official associated with the provincial Health Department talking to APP on Tuesday said raise in fund allocation has also been complimented with upgradation of strategic action plans to ensure across the board immunisation of all under five children against polio virus.

“Our focus at the moment is on Low Transmission Season, that would continue till June 2015,” he said. With specific reference to Karachi, the official said systematic community based approaches have been incorporated in the schemes to remove operational and communication barriers in security-compromised areas of the metropolis.

The plan was said to include 340 female community visitors (FCVs) who would be part of permanent teams and 136 religious support persons (RSPs) to address cultural as well as religious sensitivities of the worst affected communities.

To a query with regard to a raise in the stipend for polio team workers, he said this would be ensured in the coming months. With regard to pockets of persistently missed children in localised areas it was agreed that these were largely not refusals but inadequate understanding of the parents’ or families’ reservations and inability to convince them.

It would be pertinent to mention that all 18 polio cases in 2014 pertained to 11 out of 188 UCs in Karachi within 25km radius while 13 highest risk areas in eight Super High Risk UCs hold a target population of 102,560 children under 5 years of age.

Sindh govt increases budgetary allocation for polio eradication

Qalandari · Mar 13, 2015

One museum each planned at Karachi Zoo, Safari Park

KARACHI: A review meeting regarding improvement of Karachi Zoo was held under Commissioner Karachi Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqi. Meeting was informed one museum each at Karachi Zoo and Safari Park would be built for preservation of history of zoo and to provide knowledge and information about animals.

Commissioner asked officials of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation to take suggestion of all concerned departments, organisation and experts who were concerned about animals in this regard so idea could be implemented according to international standard.

Museum at Zoo would be vertical due to limited space available at Zoo, however museum at Safari would be on land of 3,000-yard.

World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) announced Rs 1 million as an initial fund for constructing national level museums.

The meeting reviewed steps taken in Karachi Zoo for attending animals. The zoo administration was directed to step up measures of taking care of animals. Action would be taken against those illegally involved in sale of precious birds. In this connection, it was decided before initiating action sellers of birds at Empress Market and at other places would be given knowledge about relevant laws and importance of specification of animals, which were not allowed to sell according to law.

A local paint company wanted to carry out painting work on a portion at zoo as its corporate responsibility work

Zoology Department of Karachi University would hold a four-day seminar to highlight Zoo management about life of animals at Zoo. It was decided WWF would coordinate and cooperate in this regard and would arrange speakers from abroad to participate in the seminar. An internship programme in coordination with WWF would be arranged at Karachi Zoo and nominations would be made through schools.

One museum each planned at Karachi Zoo, Safari Park