KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari on Tuesday directed the authorities concerned to expedite offloading and transportation of imported urea currently clogged up at the Gwadar port, so that the availability of the commodity in far flung areas could be ensured, its rising price controlled and the imported stocks protected from the impact of extreme weather.
He also directed the National Fertilizer Marketing Ltd. (NFML) to speed up the process of transportation and distribution while ensuring transparency in the distribution process.
The president issued the directive during a briefing, held at the Bilawal House, on the current position of supply and prices of urea and rice in the province.
He was informed that so far 700,000 tonnes of imported urea had arrived at the Gwadar port and 480,000 tonnes had been offloaded. The president asked for all efforts to resolve the operational limitations as any adverse change in the weather might cause damage to the imported urea at the port.
He was also informed that the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) had offered support to NFML for the transportation of 200,000 tonnes of urea to an upcountry destination at the rate and terms set by the marketing company. The issue of the province-wise share in the distribution of urea also came under consideration.
In the briefing, it was stated that according to the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP), roughly 500,000 tonnes of Irri-6 rice was at present available in the market.
It was also noted that TCP at present was not involved in local procurement, price mechanism or export of rice and that it would intervene only if required by the government to do so.
President’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar told the media that in a separate meeting that followed the briefing, President Zardari reviewed the position of communication network that was partially or completely destroyed in the July 2010 high floods.
Mr Babar said the meeting was informed that as a result of the floods, extensive damage was caused to the National Highway network throughout the country badly affecting roads, bridges, culverts, retaining walls, causeways etc.
It was also informed that approximately 800 kilometres — around 6.6 per cent of the total 12,131 kilometres — of the National Highway network was either completely or partially destroyed and 46 bridges sustained damage.
The National Highway Authority (NHA) chairman informed the president that NHA had completed the ‘Damage Need Assessment (DNA)’ and provided details to donor’s (Asian Development Bank), the leading agency in the communication/transport sector.
The president was also informed that the damage was assessed and put at around Rs18.38 billion while the estimated cost of restoration was put at Rs22.41 billion excluding the cost of social and environment impact safeguards, cost of land, cost of design and escalation etc.
He was told that Chinese consultants had started design surveys and that the design of the south section would be completed by the current month; the design of the north section would be completed by Feb; and the construction work would commence by the first week of March.
The president directed NHA to assist the Chinese consultants and contractors working on these projects, provide them with the historical data and also ensure their security.
Those who attended the briefing and meetings included Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah, provincial ministers, federal secretaries and NHA and TCP chairmen.
Representatives of the Chinese consultants and contractors were also present.
He also directed the National Fertilizer Marketing Ltd. (NFML) to speed up the process of transportation and distribution while ensuring transparency in the distribution process.
The president issued the directive during a briefing, held at the Bilawal House, on the current position of supply and prices of urea and rice in the province.
He was informed that so far 700,000 tonnes of imported urea had arrived at the Gwadar port and 480,000 tonnes had been offloaded. The president asked for all efforts to resolve the operational limitations as any adverse change in the weather might cause damage to the imported urea at the port.
He was also informed that the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) had offered support to NFML for the transportation of 200,000 tonnes of urea to an upcountry destination at the rate and terms set by the marketing company. The issue of the province-wise share in the distribution of urea also came under consideration.
In the briefing, it was stated that according to the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP), roughly 500,000 tonnes of Irri-6 rice was at present available in the market.
It was also noted that TCP at present was not involved in local procurement, price mechanism or export of rice and that it would intervene only if required by the government to do so.
President’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar told the media that in a separate meeting that followed the briefing, President Zardari reviewed the position of communication network that was partially or completely destroyed in the July 2010 high floods.
Mr Babar said the meeting was informed that as a result of the floods, extensive damage was caused to the National Highway network throughout the country badly affecting roads, bridges, culverts, retaining walls, causeways etc.
It was also informed that approximately 800 kilometres — around 6.6 per cent of the total 12,131 kilometres — of the National Highway network was either completely or partially destroyed and 46 bridges sustained damage.
The National Highway Authority (NHA) chairman informed the president that NHA had completed the ‘Damage Need Assessment (DNA)’ and provided details to donor’s (Asian Development Bank), the leading agency in the communication/transport sector.
The president was also informed that the damage was assessed and put at around Rs18.38 billion while the estimated cost of restoration was put at Rs22.41 billion excluding the cost of social and environment impact safeguards, cost of land, cost of design and escalation etc.
He was told that Chinese consultants had started design surveys and that the design of the south section would be completed by the current month; the design of the north section would be completed by Feb; and the construction work would commence by the first week of March.
The president directed NHA to assist the Chinese consultants and contractors working on these projects, provide them with the historical data and also ensure their security.
Those who attended the briefing and meetings included Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah, provincial ministers, federal secretaries and NHA and TCP chairmen.
Representatives of the Chinese consultants and contractors were also present.
No comments:
Post a Comment