HYDERABAD, Sept 23: Allegations of corruption against the EDO and other officials of the district works and services department and poor quality of road construction dominated proceedings of the district council session here on Thursday.

The council members accused the officials of taking commissions from contractors and remaining unconcerned with quality of development works. They put several questions to DCO Mohammad Hussain Syed who was present in the session.

Rana Mehmood Ali Khan, Yousuf Qureshi, Abdul Qadeer Qazi, Rauf Jafri and others said that the EDO, Habibur Rehman, had assured them that black- listed contractor would not be given contracts but they were being given work orders. They added that complaints about use of sub-standard material in development works had been brought to the notice of the EDO but he had done nothing.

The members said that the EDO always misguided them whenever complaints were made to him, and accused him of awarding contracts to his favourite contractors, adding that even tender forms had not been given to other contractors.

They said that tenders should be received in a fair and competitive manner. Referring to section 28, 46 and 339 of the Sindh Local Government Ordinance 2,001, Mr Qureshi pointed out that the rules bound the district government to present its annual audit report and annual statements of income and expenditure which could facilitate the members to get information about its performance.

Calling for removal of Mr Rehman and appointment of an honest in his place, Mr Khan said that after it, conditions would improve in the district where the nazims were crying hoarse against the conduct of the EDO and use of substandard material in development works.

He alleged that the funds were being embezzlement by making payments for 400 feet of road against construction of 200 feet. Winding up the debate, the DCO proposed a stronger works committee in order to maintain check and balance over the officials of the services and works department. He said the committee should meet every week or fortnight and he would attend its meetings if called.

He promised to withhold payment of contractors on the committee's recommendations and agreed with the members that black-listed contractors should not be given contracts.

He spoke of some technicalities regarding account-4 and 1 of the district and provincial governments, respectively, and said that the Sindh finance department had been seized of the matter regarding committed funds of sugar cess and share of octroi and zila tax.

He said that the members could see a letter of the provincial government, directing him not to make payment of octroi and zila tax unless the Provincial Finance Commission took a decision on it.