HYDERABAD, May 23: The members of the City Taluka Council, at a meeting held here on Thursday, condemned Hyderabad District Nazim Dr Makhdoom Rafiquzzaman for neglecting union councils of the city taluka over the development schemes, being carried out under the Khushal Pakistan Programme.

The meeting was requisitioned by Qamaruddin Shaikh and 14 other members. Convenor Qadeer Naghar presided over the meeting.

The members of the council expressed concern over the construction work in the city saying that out of 32 schemes worth Rs80.56 million, only Rs20.24 million were allocated to the city.

They said two schemes worth Rs10.66 million were given to a builder of the area for construction of two roads which they said were unnecessary keeping in view the need of other important development works in the city.

In his resolution, Mr Shaikh said there were so many localities which had been ruined and instead of giving priority to these localities the roads and streets of favourites were being preferred.

He added that in the tenders of KPP, which appeared on May 23 and approved two schemes of Rs6.848 million and Rs9.790 million, the densely populated areas of the city were overlooked by the district government.

Mr Shaikh, in his resolution, demanded special package for areas, falling in the City Taluka Council.

He said if steps were not taken to initiate development works, the council would decide its future course of action.

The resolution called upon the DCO and district Nazim to take the Nazim and elected representatives of union councils into confidence before initiating any development scheme to avoid unpleasant situation.

It demanded of the Sindh government to specify funds taluka council-wise for each district so that the same could be distributed judiciously.

Speaking on the occasion, City Taluka Council Nazim Moinuddin Shaikh said that his taluka had not been taken into confidence before the approval of these 32 schemes and he had come to know about these development works through the tender.

He alleged that the development schemes had been worked out to appease favourites and added that these injustices would not be tolerated.

He said it appeared that the bureaucracy had closed its eyes and was least interested in the city taluka.

Ms Rana Siddiqui called for the appearance of the project director of the KPP to brief the members about expenditure incurred on the schemes of the KPP which were so far completed in the district.

She said the members must be informed about the criteria on which funds were being allocated for development schemes and warned that if the schemes were not distributed judiciously, the taluka members would stage a protest outside the Governor House.

Illahi Bux Shaikh, Usman Abbasi and Qari Niaz expressed concern over the disparity in allocation of funds for the development schemes.

They said that as union councils were created on the basis of population all over the country under the devolution plan, funds should also be given on the same basis.

The members of the council said the district Nazim had not truly represented the district on the eve of visit of Gen Pervez Musharraf during his referendum campaign in Hyderabad.

They said the district Nazim should have put up his case forcefully before the president like other Nazims of the province but he fell prey to his political affiliation.

They claimed that he was violating his oath and he should better refrain from the sycophants who had rallied round him.