LARKANA, Nov 16: Construction work at the Arts Council Complex in the city is yet to begin although the district government has allowed to select a site.

Subsequently, the plot was earmarked for the Arts Council Complex had been proposed for judges’ lodges, sources said.

The project, a dream of the Sindh culture and tourism department, was approved by the Pakistan Development Party at a meeting in Islamabad on December 23, 2005 with an estimated cost of Rs79.743 million, sources privy to the project told Dawn. Funds were duly allocated for it, they added. The department, through a letter on January 18, 2006, asked the Larkana executive district officer (revenue) to allocate a plot for the purpose but received a ‘no’ reply.

Former district coordination officer of Larkana Haji Khuda Bux Larik on January 29, 2005 asked the EDO to select a suitable site for the complex but without any success.

The then deputy district officer, general administration, Khalid Haidar Shah on March 24 2005 sought the help of Larkana Taluka Nazim Qurban Abbasi for site selection who identified a plot near the Police Training School on Larkana-Waggan Road, said the sources.

The deputy director of planning through a letter to the DCO on April 4 called for early utilisation of funds.

The then EDO (Revenue) Ghulam Mustafa Phull on April 19 2005 identified a plot measuring 14,641 square yards opposite the Chandka Medical College and asked the concerned department, after getting no objection, to begin the work, which it never did.

The then DCO Ahmed Bakhsh Khokhar, to expedite the process, wrote on April 21, 2005 to the deputy director of planning and development to utilise the plot. The deputy director in his reply called for early implementation of the project but the correspondence again remained ineffective, said divisional president of the People’s Culture Wing, Abdul Sattar Khuhawar.

Former culture secretary Abdul Qadir Mangi in a letter on March 14, 2007, to the then DCO Larkana Naseer Jamali deplored delay in work on the project with the warning that the funds would be surrendered if work did not start immediately.

He sought allotment of two acres initially for early execution of the project but it was not done.

Recently, the office-bearers of People’s Culture Wing met Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah who sought a report from the culture department, Mr Khuhawar said.

Further action is awaited.