KARACHI - Sindh Caretaker Chief Minister Fazul-ur-Rehman presided over a meeting of secretaries of all provincial departments on Thursday and directed them to ensure good governance and follow rules and regulations while disposing of their official work.

The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon, Sindh Police Inspector General AD Khowaja, Planning and Development Department Chairman Mohammad Waseem and the secretaries.  He said that being caretaker chief minister he is bound to provide a level playing field to all political parties to contest the general elections in a free, fair and transparent manner. “This will be possible only if we have good governance here. Therefore, everyone has to work within a legal framework,” he said.

Talking to Khowaja, Rehman said there were reports of growing street crime in the city. The IG assured the chief minister that street crime will be dealt with an iron hand. “We have rearranged police deployment and enhanced patrol at all important points and areas,” he said and added this would make a difference.

Planning and Development Department Chairman Mohammad Waseem briefed the chief minister about the K-IV and other water supply projects in the city. He said that at present Karachi is receiving 650 MGD and there are some areas in the District West, Malir, South and East where water shortage is persisting. He told the chief minister that through district administration water-starved areas were provided water through tankers.

Irrigation Secretary Jamal Shah briefed the chief minister about water flows in the River Indus and off-taking canals. He said that tail-end areas were being provided water through management and distribution of water has improved. He said that against an allocated share of 106,300, Sindh is taking 35,260 cusecs, which is less than 37,073 cusecs withdrawal of Wednesday.

The chief minister directed the irrigation department to focus on proper distribution of water, particularly to tail-enders. “The growers are staging protests, this is not good. We cannot deprive any person of his water share,” he said. Health Secretary Fazal Pechuho briefed the chief minister about the disposal of hospital waste. He told the chief minister that necessary machinery has been installed at hospitals for disposal of hospital waste.

Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon said that he was monitoring the riverine water distribution up to the tail end and distribution of tankers in the city. He said that he was planning to plant more trees in the city through Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and establishment of at least a 10-acre forest near the motorway. “Plantation of more trees in the city and its outskirts would bring back the rains which used to fall in the city off and on in the past,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Consul General of China in Karachi, Wang Yu called on caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Fazul-ur-Rehman here at the CM House.

In the meeting, they discussed issues of mutual interest and CPEC-related projects being established in Sindh. The chief minister presented a memento and Sindhi caps and ajrak to the visiting guests.