KARACHI: Sindh Chef Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah will unveil the campaign against dengue being launched by Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) on November 13, 2017. Dr Asghar Abbas, acting municipal commissioner, after a meeting with the chief minister and Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar said that Murad Ali Shah wanted to work closely with the mayor in order to resolve civic problems of Karachi. Under dengue and malaria control programme in Karachi limits, the campaign would be started from November 13 and would continue on November 20. The drive will be started in East, West, South, Central, Korangi and Malir districts and administrative limits of District Council Karachi on periodical dates. In six districts of city, around 50 insecticide spray vehicles will be used for the campaign during evening hours. During the campaign, spinning vehicles and manual spray machines will be used for eradication of the disease in narrow lanes and streets. In the backdrop of a recently held meeting between the chief minister, mayor and subsequent requests from the latter, the CM assured him that financial constraints and administrative snags of the civic entity would be resolved in an amicable manner. Waseem Akhtar had long been criticising the Sindh government on usurping working authority of local civic bodies. “This is a good omen and shows friendly gesture of the CM and hopefully after resolution of KMC’s financial and administrative power bottlenecks, the City Council of the entity would become more efficient to perform officials’ obligations,” read a statement quoting mayor as saying. Moreover, district municipal corporations are getting assistance for spray campaign starting on November 13, so that integrated strategy could be adopted and all efforts be made to bring a health relief to the citizens. Earlier, Murad Ali Shah had directed the Finance and Local Government departments to mull over a strategy to resolve financial issues and power sharing matters between the government and the Karachi mayor. These issues pertain to salaries and pension matters of employees, absence in sharing property and Octrio Zila Tax, grant in aid matter and retiring liabilities of the entity. The mayor had also requested the government for enhancement of Rs 300 million per month to KMC in order to bail out civic body from a dire financial crunch. Published in Daily Times, November 11th 2017.