HYDERABAD, Dec 21: District Council Convenor Zafar Rajput on Thursday called upon Sindh Local Government Commission (SLGC) to take action against the executive district officers who habitually remained absent from the council's sessions despite his repeated requests and warnings.

Mr Rajput directed the council secretary to write a letter to the commission requesting it to act against the absentee EDOs and deplored the fact that EDOs continued to flout his rulings and council's calls.

The council which met for the third consecutive day devoted much of its time to debate on the formation of Citizen Community Boards (CCBs). The members said that the district government had sufficient funds for CCBs, which were supposed to contribute only 20 per cent cost of any project with the rest to be borne by district government as per budget allocations.

The debate was prompted by a scheme for Muslim CCB, which was presented to the council for approval.

Mehboob Abro protested that (by indulging in debate) the council was delaying the scheme’s approval, which was for Qasimabad taluka.

Q. Mohammad Hakim stressed that the CCBs could kick start massive development activities should the community actively participated in the process because a CCB-funded project required to be monitored, executed and looked after by people themselves.

The council members stressed the need for recycling of solid waste after Rana Siddiqui tabled a resolution advising the district government to make efficient use of garbage. The ADB could fund any project which might result in clean environment, she said.

Parveen Lodhi who said she had experience in the waste management in Peshawar and Karachi offered her help to the district government and said that the system would be a great help for people.

Mr Hakim said that the city generated around 600 tons of garbage out of which only 410 tons was lifted. The union councils should be engaged in sanitation work although they were not required under the Sindh Local Government Ordinance (SLGO) 2001 to do the job, he suggested.

He said and proposed that the district government should purchase land on the city's outskirts for landfill area.

Hussain Bux demanded increase in garbage lifting vehicles and said that the development works were welcome but they should not come at the cost of less importance to cleanliness drive.