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KARACHI, Jan 11 (APP):Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar handed over eight snorkels, purchased for Rs1.35 billion, to the municipal corporations of Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Nawabshah, Mirpurkhas, and Larkana.
The snorkel distribution ceremony was hosted by Minister Local Govt Mubin Jumani at the water board office at Shahrah-e-Faisal on Thursday.
The ceremony was attended by Minister Information Ahmad Shah, Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab, Secretary Local Govt Manzoor Shaikh, Mayor Hyderabad Kashif Shoro, CEO Water Board Salahuddin, CEO Water Board Asadullah Khan and other officers and mayors.
The chief minister handed over three snorkels to KMC and each one to Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur and Larkana.
During a ceremony, the Chief Minister addressed the audience and highlighted a grave issue related to the high-rise buildings in Karachi. He pointed out that many of these buildings lack proper firefighting systems, equipment, and fire exits.
In the event of a fire, the residents living on higher floors are at great risk of getting trapped, which can lead to the loss of both life and property.
Justice Baqar emphasized the importance of having a proper firefighting mechanism in place. To achieve this, the Sindh government has already ordered a fire safety audit of buildings. The aim is to identify any defects in the buildings and ensure that builders rectify them to ensure the safety of residents and occupants.
The Chief Minister stated that it is the shared responsibility of the government and civic agencies to ensure that there are adequate firefighting machines to handle fire incidents. As a result, the government has been investing in buying fire trucks and snorkels for aerial firefighting.
The CM stated that the snorkels imported from Indonesia are state-of-the-art firefighting machines. Despite not being the required number of fire engines that cities like Karachi and others need, the snorkels are a step towards building more efficient firefighting departments that are well-equipped to handle fire incidents, ensuring the safety of residents.
Minister of Local Government, Mubin Jumani, has directed all local bodies to develop their firefighting systems for the protection of their people. The firefighting system will ultimately become part of Rescue 1122.
Secretary of Local Government, Manzoor Shaikh, stated that the Sindh government originally ordered 15 snorkels but only eight could be procured due to the dollar-rupee parity. The snorkels have arrived at KPT but are currently stuck there due to customs duties. However, the chief minister approved Rs. 350 million to get the snorkels released and they are now being handed over to the mayors. We are thankful to the chief minister for his support.
After launching the Snorkels, the chief minister visited the water board’s control room. From there, the movement of the water board’s seven hydrants working in the city is being monitored. During the visit, the chief minister ordered the water board to regulate the prices of water tankers, as there were reports of them charging more than the fixed prices by the water board.
Justice Baqar expressed that the purpose of establishing or running the hydrants was to provide water to the water-deficient areas, but the private tanker mafia has turned it into a money-making source. He instructed the concerned officers to take immediate measures to stop this practice.