HYDERABAD, July 15: Gulistan-e-Sajjad plot owners’ cooperative housing societies has warned that if the entire Gulistan-e-Sajjad was not handed over to a competent authority, if a 5km road in the area was not constructed, and if a new water supply scheme was not announced soon, the residents would be compelled to observe token hunger strike and resort to protest.

Speaking at a press conference at the Hyderabad Press Club on Tuesday, the representative of the housing societies, Syed Jeandal Shah, said that Gulistan-e-Sajjad was supposed to be a posh area but it had been neglected for many years as a result of which costly mansions and bungalows were being ruined.

He said there were 1,800 houses spread over 80 acres and the elite of the city, including heads of various government departments, professors, surgeons, doctors, senior police officers and elected representatives of the people were residing in Gulistan-e-Sajjad.

He said that this area has been purposely neglected by the government and the people are facing innumerable problems.

He said that due to the collapsing of the sewerage system, gutter water has accumulated on roads and the people are exposed to epidemics.

He said seven children had lost their lives by falling in manholes as no lids had been placed on them.

He said the builders’ mafia had constructed multi-storeyed buildings without any proper planning as a result of which the problems had multiplied.

Mr Shah pointed out that there was only one dirty water disposal line right from Marvi Town to the State Life Building as a result of which gutter water had entered bungalows and the graveyard.

He said the water supply scheme was 23-year-old, which could not cater to the needs of the huge population.

He said the builders had not yet handed over Gulistan-e-Sajjad to the HDA.

He said all the authorities concerned, including the DCO, Hyderabad, had been repeatedly informed about the problems of the people but in vain.

Mr Shah said that the people had become prisoners in their own homes as all the houses were surrounded by sewage.

He said properties worth tens of millions of rupees were decaying as knee-deep contaminated water was standing all around.

He warned that if the government, especially the district government, failed to take notice of the plight of the people of the area and did not adopt immediate measures to resolve their problems, they would be forced to observe hunger strike and resort to protest.

The others who were present at the press conference included the patron-in-chief of the societies and MPA Syed Ali Nawaz Shah Rizvi, MPA and general secretary, PPP, Hyderabad city, Zahid Ali Bhurgari, and Ali Bux Soomro.

APPEAL: The activists of the All Sindh Narejo Community Organization observed token hunger strike outside the press club on Tuesday to draw the attention of the authorities towards the on-going armed clash between the Narejo and Jagirani tribes.