KARACHI: Proposals on Mandi plots claims finalised
By Habib Khan Ghori
KARACHI, Jan 19: The allotment committee of the New Sabzi Mandi has recommended that all those who had submitted applications for the regularisation of their outlets within the prescribed due date be regarded as genuine claimants.
The others allotted any space at the Mandi by Abdul Jabbar Abbasi and Akber Zardari would have to wait for the outcome of the investigation being conducted by the National Accountability Bureau and a subsequent decision of the relevant authorities on their claims.
The committee, headed by Kishan Chand Parwani, had been constituted by the Services & General Administration Department of the provincial government to finalise the scrutiny of individual allotment cases on merit.
A former minister, Abdul Hakeem Baloch, Secretary Agriculture Mahakkamuddin Qaderi, Special Secretary Local Government Mohammad Siddique Memon and Special Secretary Board of Revenue Nazar Mohammad Leghari are members of the committee.
The committee has found that the number eligible allottees in the category ‘dealers and commission agents’ is 1446 and in the category of ‘growers’ it is 544. There are several hundred more applicants who had submitted claims after the cut off date and were issued allotment letters.
With regard to the remaining shops/open spaces/sheds, the committee has recommended that administrator of the Market Committee and the director general of Agriculture Extension should put forward proposals as per the policy of the department.
The fresh allotment to late applicants and growers may be made by the department after formulation of a transparent policy in line with the old one (implemented on Sept 4, 1994) for the vacant spaces with preference to be given to growers.
After going through the record available with the administrator of the Market Committee, the probe committee also found that in each category of allottees, there some cases of undue favour.
Regarding 305 allottees in the ‘dealers and commission agents’ category, who had applied after cut off date (i.e. June 18, 1995), it found that many allottees had been issued allotment orders on the recommendation of certain army officers and were in possession of shops/spaces in the old Sabzi Mandi. They had vacated their old shops on the condition that they would get alternative space in the New Sabzi Mandi. They may be favoured through relaxation in the condition of timely submission of application.
The newcomers, the committee noted, who had even applied within the stipulated time, had failed to fulfil the required formalities as notified on Sept 4, 1994. Therefore, they are to be declared not qualified for allotment. They may be issued notices for removal of discrepancies in their application to become eligible.
However, the committee has recommended maintaining quota of allotment as notified in 1994. Under the prescribed quota, KMC traders were to be allotted 45 per cent, growers 30 per cent and newcomers 25 per cent.
The committee has also recommended cancellation of the allotment orders issued to the ineligible applicants and the spaces thus saved be given preferably to growers without exceeding the quota.
Earlier, the Sindh chief minister had constituted a high powered committee headed by Imdad Ali Nizamani to look into the New Sabzi Mandi affairs and suggest appropriate measures to bring discipline and efficiency in its working.
The committee, which later constituted two subcommittees to expedite the work, had noted with concern that allotment to new comers were made without any criterion having been set or balloting done. It had found that in many cases, allotment had been made on the personal liking of the former administrators, Abdul Jabber Abbasi and Mohammad Akbar Zardari.
The committee also identified mismanagement and corruption and exposed cases of tampering with the record, illegal allotments, theft of market fees, etc. It recommended legal proceeding against the officials involved.
