HYDERABAD, June 24: The district authorities have issued notices to 152 families asking them to immediately vacate their homes because some vulnerable portions of the Talpur era Hyderabad Fort may collapse during the rainy season.

This was stated by the director of the building control department, Mr Masood Jumani, at a meeting held here on Thursday to discuss the emergency evacuation of residents of the fort.

On the occasion, DCO Mohammad Hussain Syed directed management of the HDA to prepare an integrated rescue operation plan within a week with a view to saving lives of inhabitants of the fort during the season.

The DCO called upon authorities concerned that availability of excavator, loaders, tractors and other required machinery and sniffer dogs should be ensured in advance.

He said there should be alternate arrangement for supply of gas, electricity, water, food and medical facilities.

He asked the district officer health to prepare a medical team with full mobile medical facilities in addition to arrange emergency medical capacity in hospitals of the city.

He directed the official to coordinate with the Edhi Foundation and Hilal-i-Ahmer for help during the rescue operation so that loss of lives could be avoided.

He urged the district officer education for ensuring school facilities for stay of people shifted from the fort.

Mr Jumani said a standard operating procedure had been prepared by the management to avoid loss of lives during the monsoon season.

He said the fort would not sustain heavy rains as such people of residing in dangerous area should be urged to evacuate their houses immediately.

He said in order to meet any eventuality the required machinery was made available by management of the HDA.

He assured that rescue operation plan would be revised as per the decision of meeting.

Meanwhile, the DCO directed management of the district council and EDO education to revise rents of shopping centres and office buildings as per prevailing market rates of private buildings of adjacent areas.

This he said while presiding over a meeting to review rents of government buildings/shopping centres.

He said according to the Rent Premises Ordinance, annual 10 per cent increase in rent was allowed but unfortunately after January 1999 rents of the district council shopping centre and other government buildings was not revised, causing monetary losses.

He made it clear that the district government had adopted strict policy not to allow any favouritism and nepotism but to reactivate recovery mechanism to avoid misuse of government property.

He directed the authority concerned to fix fair rent according as per prevailing rate of adjacent areas and issue notices to allottees with legal justification that since 1984 rate of construction, repair and maintenance, property tax and rent schedule of government buildings was increased many a time.

Expressing dissatisfaction over constructions of flats in shopping centre of the Tower Market, the DCO ordered cancellation of project and called for return of booking fee to parties.

He directed the management of the district council to prepare list of assets and property available and submit within a week time for protecting them accordingly.

EDO law Shams Sehto said the legal department of the district government would submit its report within a week time.

SECTION 144: The DCO under section 144 Cr. PC has banned sale and use of fire cracker and other explosive material within jurisdiction of the district during marriage ceremonies, festivals and other functions.