October 22, 2008	Wednesday	Shawwal 22, 1429

KARACHI, Oct 21: The Sindh government is carrying out construction of a secretariat building without getting a mandatory permission from the Karachi Building Control Authority, it has been reliably learnt.

Sources told Dawn that the KBCA advised the department concerned to stop the work and issued a show-cause notice, warning that action would be taken against those involved in the unlawful construction.

The unauthorised secretariat tower was coming up right next to the chief secretary’s office to house the ever-increasing bureaucracy although the KBCA had specifically asked the authorities concerned that the government must get plans of all its buildings approved from the respective authority, the sources said.

While the KBCA took prompt action by issuing notices or even carried out cosmetic demolitions in selective cases whenever a private builder raised the illegal building, it was reluctant to take any action against the Sindh government, which was violating its own rules and laws, they added.

Responding to Dawn queries, KBCA Building Controller Mumtaz Haider of Saddar Town said a notice had been issued to chief engineer of the works and services department, which was constructing the building without the mandatory approval of the KBCA. The chief engineer had been advised to stop the construction, Mr Haider added.

The notice on the subject Construction of office in Secretariat No 6-A says: “…whereas construction on the site mentioned above appears to be unauthorized and in violation of the requirements of the Sindh Building Control Ordinance 1979-82 and the regulation framed there under —Description of violation: construction without approval of building plan.

“You are hereby requested to stop further construction work on the said plot forthwith and show cause within seven days, otherwise action shall be initiated under relevant provisions of the Sindh Building Control Ordinance 1979-82,” the notice added.

Mentioning a chief secretary’s directive issued to the administrative secretaries of all the departments on Jan 26, 2006, the sources said: “During the meeting it came to light that the government buildings are being constructed without getting building plans approved under the Sindh Building Control Ordinance, 1979. The chief secretary took serious note of the matter and has been pleased to direct that henceforth no government building should be allowed to be constructed without approval of its building plan by the respective authorities nominated under the Sindh Building Control Ordinance 1979 throughout the Sindh province.”

Saindad Solangi, the chief engineer who is carrying out the tower’s construction, had earlier claimed that the KBCA had approved the plans of the multi-storey secretariat building. Talking to Dawn a few days back, he had stated that he always took approval of the building plans from the KBCA before starting up the construction work. He had even mentioned this particular secretariat tower and claimed that its building plans had been approved by the KBCA.

“If the government department does not follow the government rules it will lose moral authority to stop the illegal construction being carried out by the private builders,” he remarked.

However, he refused to offer any comment after the KBCA issued the notice directing him to stop the work on this building.

Sindh Secretary for General Administration Rizwan Ahmad, whose department is constructing the unauthorised building, however did not comment on the construction despite repeated attempts by this reporter.