Re: Karachi turning into a ghetto?
Here is the formal source of information “Dawn Karachi” about the city. This information is based on last three days of Karachi. Read it.
http://www.dawn.com/2007/03/23/letted.htm#11
Shabby road
KARACHI’s Tipu Sultan Road, a major thoroughfare which joins Sharea Faisal and Karsaz Road, urgently needs an overhaul. Apart from a small patch damaged by rain, it has many potholes, created as a result of the digging of water and sewerage lines. These need to be patched up. What is more dangerous is that there are potholes at the crossing of Shaheed-i-Millat Road both at the entry and exit points of the crossing, resulting in a pileup of vehicles in the middle of the crossing.
By the way the yellow light at this crossing has not been working for years now.
Adding insult to injury, a police kiosk, which nobody seems to be using, has been constructed in the middle of Tipu Sultan Road at its crossing with Mian Mohammad Rafi Road, creating a blind spot for vehicles joining the main road.
MAJID KHANDWALA
Karachi
http://www.dawn.com/2007/03/23/local17.htm
KARACHI: Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai Road in shambles
By A Reporter
KARACHI, March 22: Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai Road is inundated with sewage due to choked sewerage lines in the area creating problems for motorists, pedestrians and the business community.
During a visit to the area it was observed that the entire sewerage line from Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai Hall to Aga Khan School Kharadhar was choked. Almost all the manholes in the area are without lids and people themselves have placed wooden planks on the holes, which, too, are posing a threat to the lives of people.
The sewerage water has badly damaged the road, which is in ruins, with deep ditches and potholes full of drain water resembling ponds. Some shopkeepers have filled the front sides of their shops to divert the flow of water, which has further damaged the road, as the sewage can now easily enter the streets of residential flats.
It was observed that footpaths have also been occupied by shopkeepers, vendors and hoteliers and pedestrians, especially schoolchildren and women, faced great difficulties while navigating the road. The sewerage line is blocked up to Tower, and can easily be observed near Bilquis Edhi Centre.
The area people said that they had been facing these problems for the last six years and despite their repeated requests to the authorities concerned, no attention was paid to the dilapidated road and collapsed sewerage system.
People also complained of water shortage in the localities along D. D. Chaudhry Road, saying that they had been struggling for the supply of water since 2002, but could not succeed as yet.
When contacted, area councillor Mohammad Yousuf Tola said that he had approached all officials concerned, from UC 4 to the City Nazim, and submitted applications, but to no avail.
He said that due to the dilapidated condition of the road, traffic jams were a regular feature on the only main artery leading to Keamari and Saddar, adding that during rains people could not come on to the road due to stagnant drain water.
He demanded the City Nazim take personal interest and visit the area to solve its problems.
Nazim Lyari Town was not available for comments.
http://www.dawn.com/2007/03/21/local13.htm
KARACHI: Traffic jams choke Banaras
By A Reporter
KARACHI, March 20: Commuters faced difficulties on different roads connecting to Banaras as vehicular traffic remained suspended for more than 45 minutes at Banaras Chowk due to disruption in traffic signal system on Tuesday morning.
Long queues of vehicles were observed on Manghopir Road, Qasba Colony Road, Orangi Road and Abdullah College Road. Only one traffic constable was busy manually regulating the traffic, but the situation was aggravated by the minibuses that opted for wrong side of the two way tracks.
Though some police personnel were present in a van, they did not help regulate the traffic. The portion of Shahrah-i-Orangi from Banaras Chowk to Orangi Sector-5 has been closed for the last many months for repair, which added to the miseries of commuters.
Shopkeepers said traffic problems were generally created there due to presence of handcarts on the main roads.
The only solution to the problem was construction of a flyover and removal of handcarts and inter-city buses from the roads leading to Banaras Chowk, he said.
Instead of improving the system, whenever traffic gets blocked vehicles were diverted towards Metroville, the shopkeepers said adding that the long standing problem needs proper attention of the concerned authorities.
http://www.dawn.com/2007/03/21/letted.htm#6
Second-hand refineries
THIS has reference to the news item regarding import of second-hand refineries.
The importers, as well as the government, must keep in mind the possibilities that the facilities and equipment being imported were not able to meet the environmental regulations in the countries where they were installed.
As such, they had to be taken out of service and are being sold off to countries where environmental considerations are not strictly enforced.
TARIQ RAZA
Woking, UK
http://www.dawn.com/2007/03/20/local2.htm
KARACHI: Rain trips 90 feeders
KARACHI, March 19: Residents of various localities experienced prolonged and intermittent power suspensions on Monday. A source in Karachi Electric Supply Corporation said 90 out of 850 feeders were tripped in the morning due to rain, causing suspension of power supply to many areas including PECHS, Gulshan-i-Ghazi, Usmanabad, Bara Board, parts of Orangi Town, Binori Town, Jamshed Road, Clifton, Defence, Liaquatabad, Sher Shah, Abidabad, Mauch Goth, Malir and Landhi.
However, KESC spokesman said the situation was under control and power supply was quite normal. He said the maintenance work at Bin Qasim Power Station was in progress and the KESC staff tried to improve the power generation system. He said people should take extra-precautions to protect themselves and their families from fatal electrical accidents during rains.—A Reporter
http://www.dawn.com/2007/03/20/local8.htm
KARACHI: Contaminated water kills 200,000 children annually
KARACHI, March 19: Fifty-six million people of the country do not have access to clean drinking water, and 200,000 children die of waterborne diseases every year. The situation in Karachi is not much different. The percentage of the total dissolved solids (TDS) in water samples taken from Saddar (15146mg/l), Landhi (21748mg/l) North Nazimabad (3485mg/l), Lyari (9928mg/l) and Malir (3485mg/l) is alarming as the maximum concentration of TDS allowed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) is 500mg/l.
This was mentioned at a seminar held in a hotel here on `Drinking Water Quality Assessment in Karachi, Hyderabad and Kotri’, organised by the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), Government of Sindh. The Secretary for Environment and Alternative Energy Department (EAED), Mir Hussain Ali, was the chief guest on the occasion as EAED Minister Dr Saghir Ahmed was unable to make it to the event.
Dr Abdul Haleem Yousafzai, a scientist, carried out the water assessment survey on the behalf of EPA for which their team collected 1000 water samples from Karachi, Hyderabad and Kotri.
Sharing the findings of the survey, Dr Yousafzai said the poor water supply system and improper industrial and domestic waste disposal had added to the already worsening situation. He pointed out that the percentage of TDS and chemical oxygen demand (COD), apart from the metallic ions, was found seriously high in most areas of Karachi. The percentage of TDS in some areas of the city were: Saddar (15146mg/l), Landhi (21748mg/l) North Nazimabad(3485mg/l), Lyari (9928mg/l) and Malir (3485mg/l).
Dr Yousafzai said that about 80 per cent water samples taken from Gulshan-i-Iqbal Town had fecal coliform bacteria almost 8.6 percentage points more than 30MPN/dl (a standard set by WHO).
Dr Iqbal Mohammad Bhangar, director of the National Centre of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, in his presentation highlighted how the increase in population had a direct impact on the water shortage problem.
He also mentioned that 56 million of the country’s population was deprived of clean drinking water, and that almost 200,000 children died annually thanks to the waterborne diseases.
Dr Yar M. Khawar, dean faculty of natural sciences Jamshoro University, Dr Zahida T. Maqsood, professor of the Department of Chemistry, University of Karachi, M. Suleman Chandio from Karachi Water Supply Board and Prof Abdul Rashid Memon, director of the Institute of Environmental Engineering and Management, also discussed various issues pertaining to the water management problems, hazards faced caused by it and possible solutions to it.
Souvenirs were given to the speakers at the end of the day by the chief guest.
http://www.dawn.com/2007/03/20/letted.htm#3
Beachfront development
YOUR editorial, ‘A flawed vision’ (March 12), calling for a comprehensive, organised development of our city, in sync with a master plan, was excellent.
Perhaps another proposed mega-project may be of interest to your readers. It has shaken me to the bone.
I have recently come to know that the proposed beachfront development is not confined to Clifton and the DHA only. The government of Pakistan intends to hand over the entire coastline, stretching from the French Beach to Manora, to Dubai developers to develop.
The plan, of course, does seem to remember that the 17 million citizens of Karachi may need to go to the beach, unfettered by commercial ‘jagga’ tax, so it says that ‘portions’ may be left available to the general public.
We shall remain forever indebted to the government for this benevolence. The plan envisages cancellation of the current ownership of beach huts all along Sandspit and Hawkesbay.
My father, who did not own a beach hut, often brought my brothers and me to the beach. My mother would pack a picnic basket; we would lay a ‘daree’ on the sand, and have what I remember as the happiest times of my childhood.
Sadly, no more… We have to be like Dubai and must have five-star buildings to be able to do that now.
At least not anywhere, from the French Beach to Hawkesbay, to Sandspit, to Manora, to Keamari (crabbing), to Clifton, to the DHA, all the way round to Korangi. If we insist on being anti-development, and ask for a simple, pure beach, we will have to go to Gadani or Thatta. At least for now.
The insanity continues, relentlessly. .
HUSNAIN LOTIA
Karachi
http://www.dawn.com/2007/03/20/letted.htm#5
Sunday Bazaar
WE, the residents of Block 6, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Karachi, appeal to the city government to rid us of vendors who occupy the whole street and cause a blockade in front of our houses, leaving no space to leave or enter our houses. They are here from 7am to 9 pm.
Their yelling, braying of donkeys and traffic jams have made our lives miserable.
There are old, sick and young ones living in the area. Sunday is a day when everyone wants to spend it peacefully after a week of tiring jobs, but with this nuisance going on for the past few months, we feel like leaving the place.
If this goes on for months unchecked, no one will like to stay here. Besides the chaos, they litter the whole street with filth and rubbish.
These vendors have stayed on undisturbed by winning police-wallahs over to their side.
The police palms are greased with a 100-rupee note by each vendor. A few weeks back there was a news item (Dawn) that the nazim has stopped the weekly bazaars in some areas, why not this one?
AREA RESIDENTS
Karachi