HYDERABAD, June 23: The leaders of the Al-Khidmat group, Hyderabad District Council, have deplored that despite protests by the council members, residents of unit No 4, 5, 10 and 11, Latifabad, are still being supplied contaminated water.

Speaking at a news conference at the press club here on Sunday, the leaders, Rana Mehmood Ali Khan, Mohammad Saleem Khan, Dr Saifur Rehman, Ms Shahnaz Baqai and Ms Sumera Ikhlaq, said during the sizzling heat, the load-shedding by Hesco had become common which, they said, was also affecting water supply.

They said although the local bodies system had been in place for the last ten months, grievances of people had not been redressed and with each passing day, they added, problems of people were increasing. They said roads were in a decrepit condition and sewerage had collapsed.

They regretted that development schemes were being undertaken without proper planning and added that the newly-constructed roads were damaged by different agencies for laying pipes. They demanded that water, sewerage and telephone lines should be laid first and then the roads should be constructed. The Al-Khidmat group leaders pointed out that despite promises, the Provincial Financial Award had not been announced, adding that like the last year, the provincial government would prepare the district council budget and send it for approval.

They maintained that they would resist the approval of such budget and added that it was the responsibility of the district council to prepare its budget for the financial year 2002-2003.

They said the priorities of Nazims, members and minority representatives, regarding the development schemes, could not be included in the budget if it was prepared by the provincial government.

The Al-Khidmat group leaders said the new local bodies system had not been implemented in letter and spirit and added that the powers had not been transferred to union councils.

They said neither the Nazims and general, female, labour and minority representatives in the union councils had been given any powers nor had they been provided any development funds.

They said the Hyderabad city, which comprised Hyderabad, Qasimabad and Latifabad talukas, had its own geographical importance and had different problems.

They demanded that a city government should be established in Hyderabad to run the affairs of the city.

PTCL: The general manager of the PTCL, Southern Telecommunications Region-I (STR-I) has said there are eight exchanges in the Hyderabad multi-exchange area with an installed capacity of 70,000, out of which 60,000 are working connections.