KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Industries & Commerce Jam Ikramullah Khan Dharejo has announced to take a delegation to Islamabad in the next week to follow up release of funds under PSDP schemes for SITE area which are pending for two years now. Under the schemes, about 49 roads of SITE area shall be constructed.
He was speaking as Chief Guest on the occasion of his visit to SITE Association of Industry. He was accompanied by Secretary Industries Sindh Muhammad Yaseen Shar Baloch and Managing Director SITE Limited Ghazanfar Ali Qadri.
He assured to look into the matter of setting up of SITE Development & Management Company at the pattern of DMCs working in other industrial areas of Karachi and assured his full cooperation in resolving other issues facing the industry. He announced to take strict action against those involved in setting up of encroachments in the SITE area and directed the MD, SITE Limited, present on the occasion, to take action against them. The Minister also asked Secretary Industries Sindh, to report progress on the projects submitted for funding from the Infrastructure Development Cess.
Mr.Dharejo announced to convene a meeting of the Committee in the next couple of days to discuss the matter of water shortage and sub-soil licenses wherein, Mayor Karachi shall also be invited.
The Minister directed the MD, SITE Limited to complete the work on e-services within one week and report progress. He agreed to the suggestion of Zubair Motiwala that repair of leakages should be done by SITE Limited out of an escrow account. He also announced a meeting with the Police Chief in the next week to discuss law & order related issues of SITE area.
Earlier, SITE President Muhammad Kamran Arbi welcomed the Minister to the Association and thanked him for visiting on a regular basis. In his brief speech, he highlighted major issues facing the industry which in particular included formation of SITE-DMC, PSDP Scheme for the construction of Roads in SITE area, MOA between SITE Limited and SSWMB, Water supply to Industries and Water Recycling Plant for SITE area at TP-1 etc. He in particular mentioned that roads in some areas are in the worst condition like at Naurus roundabout, near the Post Office, at Habib Chowrangi and the road on the backside of 63-Wing etc. Some schemes of SITE area are also pending under Infrastructure Development Cess costing PKR 2 billion.
Patron-in-Chief Zubair Motiwala said that unfortunately, the decisions taken by the Board of Directors of SITE Limited are not implemented. Only decisions of choice are implemented. The setting up of the Combined Effluent Treatment Plant will resolve both the issues of non-availability of water and compliance issues for exporting industries. Against many years’ old quota of 8 MGD water, SITE area is still getting only 1 MGD water. He mentioned that the share of the textile sector in the overall exports of the country is declining which shows that industries are closing down. Zubair Motiwala stressed the need to introduce a Gated Community system for SITE area like Sundar Industrial Estate in Punjab to which the Minster asked him to give him a plan first. Motiwala expressed concerns over kidnapping of industrialists and said that it has greatly shaken the confidence of businessmen who now feel themselves more insecure than before.
Chief Coordinator Saleem Parekh requested the Minister to sort out the matter of issuance of license to sub-soil operators playing lead role in the matter to which the Minister agreed. He added that as part of a one-window operation, the Industries Department should be the first door to knock for resolution of every issue faced by the industry. He clarified that SITE industries need water but do not support water theft and requested the Minister to announce an extension in the tenure of MD, SITE Limited, who is performing better than his predecessors.
He mentioned that SITE Limited has no funds for the maintenance of roads nor have equipment to carry out patch work on the roads, to which the Minister assured to look into these matters.
Abdul Hadi, Chairman of the Law & Order sub-committee of the Association said that the next generation is not ready to run factories due to law & order. So called labour leaders are active in SITE who blackmail the owner of the factory. He stressed the need to call a meeting with IG Police to discuss and redress these issues.
Prominent among those who attended the meeting were M/s. Junaid Makda, Majyd Aziz, Abdul Rasheed, Saleem Nagaria, Riaz Uddin, Muhammad Riaz Dhedhi, Muhammad Hussain Moosani, SVP KCCI Abdul Ghaffar and others.
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