October 23, 2008	Thursday	Shawwal 23, 1429

HYDERABAD, Oct 22: District Nazim Kanwar Naveed Jamil has said that illegal water connections and use of plastic pipes for water supply are serious problems and the latter also creates a health hazard, adding that both trends can be eliminated only with the cooperation of the people.

He was speaking at a seminar on illegal water connections at a hotel here on Wednesday. He said that illegal water connections were a major problem for the district government and the situation further aggravated when the consumers used plastic pipes for getting water supply.

He pointed out that due to the use of plastic pipes, the quality of filtered water was spoiled and added that the consumers should not forget that the district government had spent tens of millions of rupees on the construction of filter plants to ensure the supply of clean drinking water to them.

He said that people should realise their civic responsibilities and help the district government to check illegal water connections.

He called upon Hyderabad Development Authority and Water and Sanitation Agency officials to create awakening among the people through cable TV and electronic and print media and by displaying banners against illegal water connections and use of plastic pipes.

HDA Director-General Javed Junejo, DCO Ali Ahmed, water technologist Dr Ehsan Siddiqui, Dr Mohammad Iqbal Bhangar and others also spoke on the occasion.

TRAINING: The director-general of the Sindh Civil Service and Local Government Academy, Mohammad Ibrahim Qureshi, inaugurated a two-day training programme for nazims, naib nazims of talukas and union councils of Tando Allahyar district.

The training programme has been organised under the Gender Based Governance System (GBGS) Project launched by the Planning and Development Department in collaboration with UNDP and SCSLGA.

Addressing the inaugural session, Mr. Qureshi said that the main purpose of the programme was to enhance capacity building of nazims and naib nazims and women councillors to ensure balanced development in each area on the one hand and make the local government system a success on the other.

He said that public representatives elected at gross-root level could play a vital role in the socio-economic development of their areas. The present local government system was not only providing development opportunities and authority to the elected representatives but it would also prove a nursery for future leadership as well.