January 28, 2007	Sunday	Muharram 08, 1428

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LAHORE, Jan 27: Punjab Chief Secretary Salman Siddique has warned kite-flyers that it could be last Basant for them unless they acted responsibly, and in accordance with the government guidelines to make the event harm-free for the public.

Talking to media at an open court held by him at the Civil Secretariat on Saturday, he said if any casualty occurred because of kite flying, the event could be banned forever.

Mr Siddique said categorically that killing of innocent people could not be allowed in the name of kite flying.

He said a law had been passed to regulate the kite flying business, under which kites and string of only specific size and quality could be used during the festival.

He said traditional sport of kite flying had recently turned gory and ultimately had to be banned. He said in the old days kite string used to be an innocuous thing injuring only fingers of flyers, but reckless elements had turned it into a killing object.

He clarified that the Supreme Court had not imposed ban on the kite flying, but it had directed the provincial government to regulate the sport.

The Chief Secretary also dispelled the impression that any ban would be imposed on motorcycle riding during Basant days. He said as a protective measure, the district governments would provide free antennas to motorcyclists to avoid harm from fatal kite string.

To a question, he said the provincial government could allow kite flying for a period of two days to one week following request from the district nazim concerned.

He said the complaints received at the open court suggested that the government was not delivering properly at the lower tiers, pledging he would try to improve things.

Public mistrust: People with grievances against police refused to submit their complaints with an open court at the Central Police Office, insisting that the chief secretary should get them relief, reflecting public mistrust and fear of police.

The scene occurred at the open court where Chief Secretary Salman Siddique, along with a team of administrative secretaries, personally listened to the grievances of about 300 complainants, most of them being against police, Wasa, health and education departments.

Sensing increasing number of complainants against the police department, Mr Salman Siddique had to announce that they should approach the Central Police Office where Punjab IG was holding a similar kind of forum. Nevertheless, the complainants insisted the chief secretary should get them relief from the police highhandedness, refusing to go to the CPO.

Speaking at the start of the open court, the chief secretary said the local government system and police order had introduced changes in the administrative set-up. He said the provincial government had already delegated most of its functions to the district governments. Under the Police Order, he said, the police had been delegated more authority.

He said the provincial government still had a lot of functions to perform, including the supervision of the district governments.

On bringing improvement in the system, he said: “I have evolved an agenda of 149 points during the past six months to save people from ordeal of repeatedly visiting different offices for getting their work done.

We want to simplify such unnecessary procedures by providing public a better delivery of services,” he added.

To save people from unnecessary hassle, there would be an acknowledgement against every complaint filed, and the complainant would be responded back accordingly, he said.

He said all administrative secretaries would hold open courts pertaining to their respective departments as well as at the district level to redress the public complaints at their doorstep. Such open courts could be held after every three or six moths and final decision in this regard would be taken after analysing the results of this open court, he added.

The chief secretary also announced, while responding to a complaint, that all junior contract teachers of science and mathematics would be awarded increase in their salaries as well as annual increments.

He referred a number of complaints to the secretaries concerned for immediate relief. He also directed a number of complainants to visit his office to get their problems resolved.