May 12, 2008	Monday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 6, 1429

HYDERABAD, May 11: The Sindh Democratic Forum (SDF) on Sunday called for an inquiry into the district government’s spending on different development projects and said that certain projects had destroyed the beauty of the district.

Speaking at a press conference, the SDF convenor Abrar Kazi quoted the district government’s report updated till April 13 and presented in Saturday’s pre-budget consultation seminar and said that the report contained details of the projects that did not exist on ground while funds had been allocated against them.

He quoted a sewerage project on Auto Bahn road as example and said that the reports said that Rs250 million had been spent on Rani Bagh’s renovation, which had in fact not been done yet.

He said that the flyover projects were being executed under the Hyderabad Development Project (HDP) but they were not mentioned in the report because the district government had not got Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) done by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

He said that Shahbaz Chowk flyover should have been built on Wadhuwah road, which would have required only 600 square feet of roads instead of 900 as being done now.

He alleged that 30 per cent of commission was being sent to London and once again questioned the construction of Guddu Chowk flyover, saying it was not needed and in its place railway bridge should have been expanded.