TOBA TEK SINGH, Jan 2: The district council demanded of Pakistan Railways to start an express train from Shorkot Cantonment for Lahore via Toba Tek Singh, Gojra and Faisalabad.

A resolution unanimously adopted by the meeting which was presided over by district Naib Nazim Haji Ghulam Rabbani, said though the route was economically viable, the railways authorities were reluctant to accept the demand of the people.

Through another resolution, the council expressed grave concern over low pressure of gas in some parts of the town. It demanded that the problem should be resolved immediately.

A number of council members raised the issue of farmers plight at the hands of sugar mills. They claimed that the millers weigh machines were tampered with and deduct sugarcane at the time of purchase in the name of so called low quality.

They formed three committees comprising union council Nazims to raid the purchase centres in all the three tehsils to check the less weighing and wrong deduction of sugarcane.

The council approved 102 development schemes presented by the Nazim worth Rs54.5 million. An opposition member, Mr Saifullah, criticized the schemes and said the house was not given the details of the schemes before presenting it in the house.

However, the Nazim assured that the schemes proposed by the union councils Nazims would be approved by the house in next meeting to be held in mid-January.

The Nazim claimed the buildings of five schools would be constructed soon.

Corrupt practices of the staff of various government departments were also discussed in the meeting. A member said the claims of district Nazim about the eradication of corruption were wrong.

Some members expressed their concern that the departments did not pay attention to resolutions or recommendations of the house. They even did not bother to send their answers to the questions of the members.

The Naib Nazim took serious notice of the matter and warned the government department heads that if they did not mend their ways, action would be recommended to the district Nazim against them.

DESILTING: Desilting of canals started on Wednesday in the district.