FAISALABAD, Dec 6: Almost all tehsil and town administrations in the province have miserably failed in conducting elections for 'village and neighbourhood councils' despite the passage of over three years.

Inquiries gave out that tehsil and town councils were bound under the Punjab Local Government Ordinance of 2001 to conduct elections for setting up village and neighbourhood councils within 90 days of assumption of office.

The masterminds of the devolution of power plan had observed that the TMAs would be extended assistance through councils like the village and neighbourhood for resolution of people's problems. But the lack of ruling groups' interest in the TMAs hit the plan for further devolution of power.

As far as the composition of these councils was concerned, five to 11 members, including one seat each for women, one for peasants or workers had been finalized. Besides, an election process had also been finalized for the seat of chairmanship. But neither the tehsil councils conducted the elections for such important councils nor created awareness among the community for the schemes under this plan.

Councils' importance could be judged from the fact that their members had been delegated the powers to develop and improve water supply sources; make arrangements for sanitation, cleanliness and disposal of garbage; develop sites for drinking and bathing of cattle; take measures to prevent contamination of water; prevent nuisance in public places; organize watch and ward in their areas; promote sports, cultural and recreational activities; mobilize voluntary resources, including physical, labour, property and cash contributions for municipal activities in the village and neighbourhood; facilitate the formation of cooperative for improving economic returns and reduction of poverty and consumer protections; report cases of handicapped, the destitute and of extreme poverty to union administrations; mobilize the community involvement in uplift schemes and promote tree plantation.

These councils had also been bound to assist the union councils for conducting surveys in the village and neighbourhood and collecting socio-economic data, selecting sites for providing municipal facilities and services to the village or neighbourhood; identifying encroachments; managing burial places and cremation grounds in the village; managing and lighting of village or neighbourhood roads, streets and paths and collecting land revenue and other taxes.

A TMA official requesting anonymity said the failure of the citizen community boards and non-investment in this plan was the outcome of lack of interest by TMA authorities in setting up village and neighbourhood councils.

The failure of the TMAs for establishing such councils clearly reflects the ruling groups' performance in the power-sharing formula and community participation in government schemes under the devolution of power plan.

The non-political setup of local councils is now a days entirely in the grip of 'political masters' which has changed the involvement of people in the government schemes and devolution of power at grass roots level.