HARIPUR, Feb 17: Development projects worth millions could not be executed due to continuing strike of government contractors in Haripur, official sources told Dawn here on Tuesday.

The scheme had been approved either under the provincial government's Tameer-i-Sarhad programme or the district government's annual development programme for the ongoing fiscal year.

The sources said about 150 registered contractors in Haripur had gone on strike for an indefinite period, demanding raise in the existing rates and transfer of the district to construction region No.III from construction region No.I. The contractors had even refused to participate in tenders for the new schemes, the sources added.

Official record shows that the contractors' strike had badly affected the schemes initiated by the works and services department and the public health engineering department (PHED).

The two departments have allocated hefty amounts for a number of new development schemes approved by four MPAs and union Nazims from Haripur under the Tameer-i-Sarhad programme and the annual development programme for district governments.

The sources said the works and services (W&S) department had over 100 new schemes worth Rs240 million for 2003-4.

The schemes included construction of new buildings for girls colleges in Ghazi, Khanpur and Khalabat Township, upgradation of tehsil headquarters hospital Ghazi and Khanpur hospital, construction of phase-II of Pir Sohawa road, construction of Chamba bridge on the Shahrah-i-Hazara and projects for road carpeting, improvement of educational institutions, maintenance of roads and hospitals. The department had called tenders for the projects twice, the sources said.

The PHED, according to them, had also floated tenders for 40 different development schemes amounting to Rs15 million on the old rates, but none of the contractors participated in the process due to the continuing strike.