HYDERABAD, Aug 8: The convenor of the district council, Nawab Rashid Ali Khan, has deplored that the Hyderabad Development Authority has started work on a Rs120 million project for improving the water supply system without consulting the elected body.

He was giving his remarks during the council session called on Saturday to discuss issues related to the Water and Sanitation Agency and Hyderabad Development Authority.

"There is no harm if matters related to civic facilities are discussed and brought before the council and members give their input", he remarked. Mr Khan said that the HDA and Wasa authorities had not given up their past practice of planning their schemes while sitting in offices.

He said that it was surprising that the HDA and Wasa had not been devolved so far though similar departments, including the Karachi Building Control Authority, had been devolved to the City District Government Karachi.

He said when he had written to the National Reconstruction Bureau, requesting them to devolve HDA and WASA, the director of the NRB told him on phone that the bureau had not stopped devolution of the two bodies to the district government.

"There is only a four-to-six-line letter of the Sindh secretary of the local government that till further orders the HDA would continue to work as it is", he said.