Wahab seeks list of residential plots in Mehran Town housing industries

Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Administrator Barrister Murtaza Wahab, who also acts as the spokesperson for the Sindh government, has directed the Karachi Development Authority (KDA) director general (DG) to prepare a list of all the plots in Mehran Town being illegally used for industrial purposes.

Wahab on Saturday visited Lyari Dhobi Ghat to offer condolences to the families of labourers who had died a day earlier in the chemical factory fire in Mehran Town.

He announced a compensation of Rs1 million each for the heirs of the deceased labourers by the Sindh government, saying that the Sindh government was with the bereaved families in the hour of grief.

Talking to the families, he said that the Sindh government would extend all possible support to them and the Pakistan Peoples Party leadership had also issued directions in this regard.

He said the compensation of Rs1 million would be paid for each deceased labourer and best medical care was being provided to the injured. "The Sindh government stands with the bereaved families," he added.

Meanwhile, a high level meeting was held with Wahab in chair, which was attended by Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) DG Saleem Raza Khuhro, KDA DG Asif Memon, Municipal Commissioner Afzal Zaidi, the KMC chief fire officer and representatives of the labour department.

The KMC administrator directed the KDA DG to provide a list of all the residential plots in Mehran Town Korangi which are being used for industrial purposes. He said that an inspection committee headed by all the deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners should be formed to prepare a complete report in this regard.

He also ordered that plots being used for commercial purposes w

ithout the permission of the SBCA should be fully inspected. The inspection committee should also visit the industrial zones to ensure that fire safety mechanism was in place in the factories, he said.

"Immediate action should be taken against such factories where there are no safety measures to avoid fire," he ordered.

The KMC administrator asked the traders to take possible steps to prevent unforeseen accidents. "Fatal accidents are the result of human negligence which can be avoided," he remarked.

Wahab had also visited the factory on Friday and later gone to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre where the bodies and injured had been brought.

He termed the Mehran Town factory fire a tragic incident and said Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had also taken notice of the blaze.

"We are saddened by the tragedy,” he remarked, adding that a complete investigation would be carried out into the blaze and all the requirements of justice would be met. “I offer my condolences to the families of the victims," he said, addressing a press conference on the tragic incident in Korangi.

He said the fire was reported to the fire brigade at 10:09am and the crew left at 10:10am. All measures were taken to extinguish the blaze as soon as possible and save lives but a major difficulty in the rescue operation was that there was probably no emergency exit, he remarked.

He added that police and fire brigade personnel were investigating the matter and their reports would be shared with the media.