MIANWALI, Sept 14: As many as 450 people employed by the TMAs of Mianwali and Isakhel for 130 water supply schemes on a work-charged basis have not been paid their dues for the last two years.

Before the introduction of local government, these workers were under the jurisdiction of public health department. A majority of these water supply schemes now fall under the jurisdiction of TMA Mianwali.

Leaders of these employees' union were recently told by the Punjab finance department that Rs1.4 million and 1.05 million were being monthly released to the TMAs of Mianwali and Isakhel for their salaries.

The TMAs are allegedly spending these funds on development schemes. The president of Punjab Workers Union of Public Health Mianwali, Chaudhry Muhammad Razzaq, and other office-bearers have appealed to the chief minister and the president to look into the matter.

They said that Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi was apprised of the problem during his visit to Iskandarabad and he announced prompt payment of their dues, but still nothing was done in this regard.