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KARACHI, Jul 21 (APP):Sindh Minister for Local Government Saeed Ghani, Monday instructed to complete the re-survey of 740 dilapidated and dangerous buildings across the province at the earliest and the report in this regard be submitted in the next week.
The provincial minister, who heads the committee formed to investigate dilapidated and dangerous buildings and illegal constructions across the province, was chairing the second meeting of the committee, said a statement issued here.
The rent for the first 3 months of the residents of the buildings being vacated or demolished, was earlier fixed at Rs 20,000 and now been increased to Rs 30,000 per month, he said and instructed for immediate payment of the rent amount to affected families.
Saeed Ghani directed that the survey should be conducted in a transparent manner and the concerns of the residents should be addressed. He added that the buildings that are habitable or could be made habitable with some repair works should not be included in the list of damaged or dangerous buildings.
The committee carrying out the survey included Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) officers, Deputy Commissioner concerned, and representatives of Pakistan Engineering Council, Pakistan Council for Architects and Town Planners and members of Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD).
For the long-term rehabilitation of the victims of collapsed, dilapidated and dangerous buildings, Saeed Ghani informed that ABAD and other relevant institutions were directed to survey the said plots and places and submit feasible proposals to ensure permanent rehabilitation of the victims.
Saeed Ghani said that a campaign is being launched on electronic, print and social media to raise awareness about dangerous buildings and a portal will be created for identification of such buildings by the public.
Deputy Commissioner Karachi South Javed Latif Khoso, presenting the report in the meeting, informed that 61 severely dangerous buildings have been re-surveyed and 56 of them have been vacated. More than 300 families have been evacuated from those buildings, of which 25 percent were tenants, 170 to 180 were living on ‘Pagri system, while the rest possessed ownership deeds.
Additional Chief Secretary Local Government Sindh Waseem Shamshad, Commissioner Karachi Syed Hasan Naqvi, DG SBCA Shah Mir Bhutto, Municipal Commissioner Lyari Hammad ND Khan, Senior Vice Chairman ABAD Syed Afzal Hameed, Senior Vice Chairman of Pakistan Engineering Council Sarosh H. Lodhi, Architect Engineer of Pakistan Council for Architects and Town Planners Arif Bilgrami, Syed Arif Shah, Maria Aslam, and others were present in the meeting.