ISLAMABAD, Aug 5: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior on Thursday suggested that only people of Islamabad be inducted in the federal government departments working in the capital, an official, who attended the meeting, told Dawn.

This suggestion was floated by a member of the committee, Mian Mohammad Aslam, during the committee's meeting which was presided over by its chairman, Sardar Talib Nakai. Talking about the issue of fresh induction in the Capital Development Authority (CDA), the MNA said people of Islamabad were not given jobs in any province as their domicile was not excepted in any province.

However, special quota is allocated for all provinces in the federal government in the capital during fresh induction. The committee was suggested that the people of Islamabad should not be deprived of their right of employment in federal government departments in the capital.

"Locals should be given priority in this regard," the meeting was urged. On the issue of getting approval of various projects from the cabinet, the committee was of the view that the CDA should not send its project to the cabinet for this purpose because its board was also empowered to approve its projects, the official said.

Another member of the meeting Tehmina Daultana raised the issue of Madressahs in Islamabad saying there should be proper registration system for the students of such institutions.

She said people should be informed about the nationalities of the students studying in Madressahs in Islamabad and what they were being taught there. In order to overcome regular water shortage in Islamabad, the committee was suggested to lay a water supply line from Ghazi Barotha Dam to Islamabad to get the required water from there.

The committee asked the CDA to build small dams and channels to fulfil the growing requirements. The committee directed the CDA officials to carry out a survey of underground water level before installing new tubewells as a measure to meet water requirement.

It also took serious note of the increasing environmental pollution in the industrial area of Islamabad due to unchecked smoke-emitting steel mills. The committee was also demanded special funds for the rural area of Islamabad specially that fell in Zone-I and Zone-II because no funds were allocated for this area in Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).

A demand of District Headquarters Hospital in the rural area of Islamabad was floated. The committee members emphasized the need for lifting ban on the construction work in Zone-III and Zone-IV of Islamabad.