HYDERABAD: Paucity of funds affects uplift work: dist council
By Our Correspondent
HYDERABAD, Dec 2: Numerous complaints were made by members of the district council about the use of substandard material in construction projects and incomplete development projects in Hyderabad district.
They said this in its meeting here on Tuesday which was chaired by Convener Nawab Rashid Ali Khan.
The members said that incomplete projects were causing a host of difficulties for them and the general public all over the city.
Mohammad Yousuf Qureshi said that it was the requirement of section 74 of the Sindh Local Government Budget Rules that each group of office of the district government would submit its monthly progress report and to meet requirement of section 74 of the rule, monthly expenditure reports were to be submitted before the session.
However, he deplored, that none of the department was fulfilling this requirement ever since the introduction of the devolution plan.
All members duly agreed that projects had not been completed by the contractors on account of non-availability of funds.
Khawind Bux Jahejo asked the EDO, works and services, Habibullah Memon, as to why he had been allocated schemes of Rs3 million although Rs3.7 million were sanctioned to each union council.
He called for an inquiry into his union council on the ground that development work of a contract had been completed even before issuance of work orders.
Shafqat Soho complained that rural areas’ union councils were not getting their share of funds from transition funds for the union council’s rent as well as octroi and district tax.
Majeed Wahidi raised the issue of consultation between the district and Taluka Nazims with the result that no union council Nazims were approached for any advice for development works.
He said that the HDA had so far spent a huge amount, yet the entire city was sinking in its own juices.
Abdul Qadeer Qazi, Yusuf Siddiqui and Khaliq Chandio apprised the chair of incomplete construction of roads, which were being destroyed with the passage of time due to clogged drainage/sewerage lines.
Mr Chandio said that in Qasimabad only four roads were under construction. He accused the sub-engineer and contractor concerned of working in collusion with each other.
He said that union council Nazims would be forced to come out on the roads if the HDA was not devolved.
The issue of supply of contaminated and filthy water to Latifabad and Hussainabad was once again raised by Sher Mohammad Pirzada and Ibrahim Chishti, who claimed that drainage and sewage of Qasimabad Taluka was being discharged in the River Indus from where Wasa authorities were sucking water for its supply to their areas.
They said that diseases were spreading among the people, especially children.
They said that union council Nazims had been sandwiched between the HDA and Taluka Nazims.
The convener asked the EDO, works and services, to obtain reports from their deputy district officers on how the contractors were working as the pace of development work was quite slow.
He said that after completion of a project payment should be made to the contractor after inspection by the sub-engineer and union council Nazim in each area.
Responding to the queries, the EDO, works and services, Habibullah Memon, said that funds for the Khushhal Pakistan Programme were released just a few days before Eidful Fitr and the contractors were now being paid.
He said that since not too many contractors come forward; therefore, the same contractors obtained contracts for more than one scheme.
He stated that out of Rs140 million of sugar cess, Rs20 million had been released.
He said that the allocation of funds to the district was just 12.5 per cent, and added that the schemes being executed were given by union council Nazims.
The members also spoke of the poor state of affairs in the education department saying that some schools did not have staff, building or furniture.
