DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Nov 4: The station commander of Dera Ismail Khan, Col Mohammad Akbar, has said his team is dedicated to carry out development works in the Cantonment area.

At a press conference on Monday, he said that beautification of Indus river bank would be carried out on priority and added that a 100-metre long and 10-metre wide road on the western bank of the road would be constructed where fast food cabins would be opened for those coming for a walk.

He said that out of a total of Rs8 million annual budget, more than 50 per cent was spent on the development projects of the Cantonment area. During 2000-2001, he added, Rs4.63 million was spent on the construction, re-carpeting and widening of roads and construction of shops.

The station commander said that security in the locality was his first priority and strict measures were taken in this regard.

He said that checkpoints manned by the military police had been established on each entry and added that mobiles had been provided to the military police for patrolling at night. Justifying the new tax structure imposed on the Cantonment residents, Col Akbar said that the taxes were in accordance with the formula provided by the federal government.

Every resident of the Cantonment areas throughout the country was paying a 15 per cent property tax in accordance with the Annual Rental Value and the same had been imposed in Dera Ismail Khan, he pointed out.

The commander said that assessment of land, property and its covered area in Dera Ismail Khan had been calculated as less as 25pc of the rest of the Cantonment areas in the country. He claimed that 98pc of the residents were satisfied with the new tax structure.

The cantonment executive officer pointed out that during 2002-03, taxes were collected three time high as compared to what had been collected during 2001-02.