July 12, 2007	Thursday	Jamadi-us-Sani 26, 1428

PESHAWAR, July 11: The provincial government has directed authorities to strictly follow building codes in the construction of public-sector infrastructures. Instructions to this effect had been issued recently by the NWFP secretary works and services department to superintending engineers, officials said.

The secretary had issued directives to the concerned staff at the district level to ensure strict adherence to design and structure codes determined for the quake-hit areas and warned them of disciplinary actions if a person was found guilty. He also directed officials to ensure quality of material being used in the construction and repair of roads and bridges, officials added.

Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani had taken exception to the poor quality of civil works under way in some districts.

The chief minister had presided over a meeting a few months back to review the pace of uplift projects and issued directives for establishing material testing laboratories and improving the regulatory framework for monitoring projects, officials added.—Bureau