HYDERABAD, July 14: The Taluka City Nazim, Haji Moinuddin Sheikh, on Monday accused the bureaucracy of sabotaging the present local bodies system in the country and creating hurdles in its smooth running.

Delivering his budget speech, he said that contracts for different development works are not given.

He said that wrong estimates are made for the development schemes with the result that the contractors, despite getting works, do not take interest in the development works.

He said that 80 manholes that were to be prepared had not been completed, including the Sarfaraz nullah on which work had been going on for a considerable time.

Lambasting the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa), he said that all its projects had failed and fire brigade vehicles of the Taluka City were providing drinking water to the people, whereas the administration remained least concerned about the plight of the people.

He said that there was lack of proper planning for the water supply.

He said that the sewerage system of Wasa had completely collapsed, and added that due to the incompetence of Wasa the sewerage work at some places in the Taluka City was done most unsatisfactorily.

He said that it was due to the open drain system of the city that the sewage problem had been overcome to some extent but all these drains had to be desilted. He added that 95 per cent of rainwater was disposed of through these drains.

He demanded that the government release funds for the salaries of Taluka City Council employees so that they could be regularly paid their salaries.

He informed the council members that even funds of property and betterment tax were utilized for the payment of salaries of employees.

Referring to development schemes in the Taluka City, he claimed that development works of more than Rs5 million had been carried out in the city, apart from funds of the Khushhal Pakistan Programme, despite the fragile financial condition of the Taluka City Council.

He said that it had been unanimously decided to set up a crisis managing section in the fire brigade to provide services to the people round the clock, and added that rescue equipment would be purchased this year besides setting up a fire brigade station.

He criticized those forces which were busy hatching conspiracies to create trouble for the Taluka City Council.

He disclosed that new sanitary staff would be appointed in the Union Council and corrupt mafia would be shunted out with the help of the Union Councils.