Parks and Trees URC
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Parks And Trees URC PARKS & TREES 1 Parks And Trees URC Sindh govt directed to assess use of recycled water in parks The Supreme Court-mandated Commission on Water and Sanitation has directed the Sindh government to look into the feasibility of converting sewerage into grey water for use in public parks. The commission after a hearing in Karachi on Monday, asked the government to take cue from the Fateh Park in district Central in this regard. Justice (retd) Amir Hani Muslim, the commission‟s chairperson, said he visited Fateh Park on the request of Central District Municipal Corporation (DMC) Chairperson Rehan Hashmi on January 12 to see how grey water is being used under a „green initiative‟ scheme by a local society. The commission observed that not just the park but also the vicinity is benefiting from the scheme‟s grey water which can be used for any purpose other than human consumption. Hashmi informed the commission that he has planned to apply the scheme in other parks in the Central DMC. “Such schemes can make huge difference if introduced in larger parks like Karachi Zoo, Bagh-e-Jinnah, Bagh-e-Ibn-e-Qasim, Benazir park and Sarfari park,” noted Justice (retd) Muslim, adding that the pressure on filtered potable water will also be released this way. He said grey water can be used for gardening and maintenance of green patches as well and that the process will also consequently reduce the discharge of sewage in the sea. He directed Sindh local government secretary to hold meetings with stakeholders in Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, the DMCs and Karachi Development Authority over the issue. “The secretary should study the feasibility of the green initiative and its impact on the public at large.” The secretary will have to prepare the feasibility and submit report in the Supreme Court within a month. However, if the commission receives an extension from the apex court, the report should be submitted to the commission. (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 04, 15/01/2019) Askari Park reopens after six-month closure Askari Park was reopened to the public after remaining closed for more than six months following a July 2018 accident when a merry-go-round in the facility collapsed, killing a teenage girl and injuring 15 other people, an official said on Wednesday. He said the management was allowed to resume the business after all due formalities that included inspection of all rides and swings at the facility by local and foreign experts. The park was sealed by the authorities and closed to the public after its management was booked for “unintentional murder” of the girl. The official said that the park management had been changed and the new one met all the formalities as directed by the regulatory body. “We have brought foreign experts and invited all the local ones under the supervision of the authorities concerned,” said retired Brigadier Shahzad of the park‟s new management while talking to reporters after reopening of the facility. “They all were certified which led to the issuance of an NOC [no objection certificate] from the authorities. To make sure, we have deployed a technical team which would keep monitoring all the installations round the clock. We have adopted all international measures so such an accident does not recur.” (By The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Dawn, 16, 14/02/2019) PM to inaugurate fully renovated Bagh Ibne Qasim: mayor Mayor Wasim Akhtar said on Wednesday that the city‟s municipal administration had fully renovated and restored Bagh Ibne Qasim, said to be the biggest park in the country stretching over 130 acres, and it would be formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan on March 30. Addressing a press conference at the iconic park to announce its complete renovation and reconstruction, he said that new irrigation system had been laid to solve the water issue for good as the park would be watered twice a day. He said that water was being brought from Nehr-i-Khayyam through pipeline and supplied to the park after treatment. The mayor said that the park was in a dilapidated condition due to negligence and its restoration was indeed a challenging task for the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation. He said that the KMC also removed different encroachments, including a four-storey building that stretched over an acre. The mayor said that the poorly maintained sewerage lines had caused massive damage to the walls of the park. He said that he was thankful to the Supreme Court for ordering action against encroachments. 2 Parks And Trees URC City Council‟s parks committee chairman Khurrum Farhan, director general parks Afaq Mirza and media committee chairperson Sabheen Ghori were also present on the occasion. The mayor said that 300 flowering trees were also planted in the park which miserably lacked such trees. Responding to a question, he said that he was in contact with the Sindh governor, chief minister, local government minister and others for the improvement of the city. “I appeal to the prime minister to ensure that the province get its due share fully,” he said. The mayor said that only the city had right on the money being given to the province by Bahria Town in the wake of Supreme Court‟s order. “A lot of [the] city‟s problems will be solved if this money is spent on Karachi and its district Malir,” he said. The mayor said that the municipal administration would try to keep the park maintained through public private partnership. Replying to another question, he said that action was still being taken against encroachments on parks and KMC land. He said that owners of houses constructed illegally on the land of Hill Park had been given 30-day notice to vacate the possession of the park‟s land. “Hill Park will be made a model park after removal of all encroachments on its land,” he said. (By Tahir Siddiqui Dawn, 16, 28/03/2019) Centre did not contribute in restoring Bagh Ibne Qasim: Khuhro The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Sindh chapter President Nisar Ahmed Khuhro has said that Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday inaugurated a park in Karachi which has been developed by PPP‟s Sindh government. At a press conference in Hyderabad on Sunday Khuhro said although Khan inaugurated Bagh Ibne Qasim but the federal government did not contribute share of its funds for restoration of the park. “The PM held out another fake promise for Karachi [allocation of Rs162 billion development funds] and he didn‟t give anything for the underdeveloped Ghotki district.” Khuhro flayed Khan for considering the proposition of a feudal lord for removing name of Benazir Bhutto from Benazir Income Support Program. “But this program was named after Benazir after legislation of the National Assembly,” he contended, adding that the PPP will oppose every bid to remove her name from the poverty alleviation initiative. The PPP‟s leader clarified that the party‟s Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari opted to travel through the train after closure of Sukkur and Larkana airports. “But the train march evoked screams of the rulers.” Khuhro criticised low attendance in Khan‟s public meeting in Ghotki, claiming that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Grand Democratic Alliance could only muster around 2,000 people for the event. He said like the former dictators Ziaul Haq and Pervez Musharraf, Khan also did not appear content with provincial autonomy as he complained in the public meeting that 18th Amendment has left the Centre bankrupt. “The cat has come out of the bag. No one should forget that Pakistan has been formed by the four provinces together.” He argued that the provinces have still not been given complete autonomy pointing out that a recent resolution passed by the Sindh Assembly called for decentralising the authority for tax collections to the federating units. The PPP Sindh‟s president said the PTI‟s government has not given any credible poverty reduction program, asserting that chicken, eggs and goats cannot reduce poverty. “Khan has formed a new ministry for the poverty alleviation but in practicalit y the ministry will only end up increasing the federal expenses.” (By Our Correspondent The Express Tribune, 05, 01/04/2019) Karachi Zoo’s 150-year-old tree continues to mesmerise visitors Old, gigantic trees have been steeped in myth and legend for thousands of years with each having a unique story and fable surrounding them. One such tree – a Banyan – graces the premises of Karachi Zoological Gardens, formerly known as Mahatma Gandhi Gardens. According to locals, the tree is more than 100 years old and despite its age it is still healthy and green. Surviving countless seasons and storms, the magnificent tree has not only been home to many birds, insects and animals species but has also been providing shelter to human beings who visit the zoo. Over the years, the said tree has sprouted 22 massive stems which have outgrown to mark territory for it, giving the impression that the tree has a family of several other trees surrounding it. Due to its expansion, the tree displays various beautiful patterns and colours on an extensive landscape which greatly add to the historical value and aesthetics of the Zoo. Zoo authorities claim that the tree is not only the oldest one in the zoo but it is also the oldest tree in Karachi. 3 Parks And Trees URC Providing further details regarding its exact age, Zoo officials said that the tree was planted in 1870 by the British government. At the time, there was no sign of a zoo over there and the land was reserved for horse stables owned by British officials.