ISLAMABAD, Dec 20: Interior Minister Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat on Friday expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and directed the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration to prepare a schedule for local government elections before March 2003, an official of the CDA who attended the meeting told Dawn.

Speaking at a briefing given to him at the CDA Headquarter, Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat directed the deputy commissioner Tariq Mehmood Khan to finalise arrangements for holding the local government elections in the capital and preparing the election schedule before March.

He directed the official concerned to send the schedule to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) as early as possible so that the polls could be held before March 23.

He opposed water rationing by the authority in the capital under which water was being supplied to the residents on alternate days. “If the CDA has started water rationing in the month of December, then what would it do in the summer,” he questioned.

The director general services told the minister that the authority had 170 tube wells out of which 150 were working and the rest of 20 were out of order. The minister directed the authority to immediately get the faulty tube wells repaired so as to enhance the supply of water.

The director general services informed the minister that water reserved in Khanpur Dam could be utilised till June 1, 2003 and if there were not sufficient rains, the authority would have to suspend water supply from the dam after June 1.

He expressed dissatisfaction over slow pace of work on fuse spillway project at Simly Dam and directed the official concerned to prepare a detailed report and send it to his office within a week.

Talking about extension of parliament lodges, Mr Hayyat directed the CDA to complete the construction of additional 30 lodges before March 23. These lodges will be used by the senators.

Talking to the newsmen after the briefing, the minister said he had directed the authority to prepare a comprehensive plan for the redressal of problems being faced by the residents of Islamabad.

To a query about development of sector D-12, he said a committee had been formed to resolve the issue.

An official of the CDA informed the minister that the villagers of Siri Saral had submitted a 13-point charter of demand which was being considered by the committee.

When asked what would be the status of the CDA in the local government system in Islamabad, the minister said the CDA will work as an autonomous body in the system.

He said some foreign governments were willing to provide monetary assistance to the CDA for the development projects in the capital. “We are considering to avail this opportunity after preparing a comprehensive plan for the uplift of the city,” he maintained.