HYDERABAD, March 27: The district government on Wednesday approved 21 more water supply and drainage schemes for Hyderabad city, Latifabad and Qasimabad estimated to cost Rs97.21 million.

These schemes were approved under the Hyderabad Development Package, earlier announced by the former governor of Sindh.

The approval was given at a meeting, which was presided over by the district Nazim, Dr Makhdoom Rafiqquzaman.

Speaking on the occasion, the district Nazim said the district government had received another instalment of Rs125 millions, out of the Rs500 million special grant, announced by the former Sindh governor for Hyderabad’s water and sewerage project.

He expressed the hope that the remaining amount of Rs250 million would be made available before the end of April, 2003.

The meeting decided to implement four water supply schemes worth Rs12.1 million and two schemes of sewerage worth Rs2.83 million in the Hyderabad city taluka while three schemes of water supply costing Rs16.3 million and five sewerage schemes costing Rs61.275 million were also approved for the Latifabad taluka. Five more sewerage schemes costing Rs17.92 million were approved for the Qasimabad taluka.

Two more schemes for improving filter plant / major pumping stations were also approved at an estimated cost of Rs3.07 million.

The district allocated an additional amount of Rs18 million for water supply and drainage schemes and asked the taluka Nazim to submit important schemes within a week’s time.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the performance of the executing authority, the district Nazim ordered drastic changes in the executive and administrative control of water supply and sewerage projects.

He assigned the Managing Director, WASA Hyderabad, Tahir Ahmed for executing development work independently and asked him to ensure timely completion of construction work.

Meanwhile, the district advisory council, Hyderabad, in its meeting approved 150 development schemes for the four talukas of the district. The meeting was also presided over by the district Nazim.

These schemes, included 15 schemes worth Rs33.3 million for the Matiari taluka, 23 schemes for Hala worth Rs33.95 million, 73 schemes costing Rs79.58 million for Tando Mohammad Khan and 41 schemes worth Rs69.72 million for Tando Allahyar.

However, the advisory council deferred its decision about the development schemes of the taluka and city Hyderabad, Latifabad and Qasimabad till its next meeting, provided these schemes were approved by the concerned union councils.

The district Nazim said that the development schemes should be approved by the district council to ensure judicious allocation of funds for the union councils.

Referring to the government’s decision regarding provision of 30 per cent of the KPP funds directly to the talukas, the district Nazim said that Rs8.6 million would be made available to every taluka.

He also invited proposals for development under the Citizens Community Board for which Rs37.7 million were available with the district government.

MAZDOOR FEDERATION: The Sindh Tarraqi Passand Mazdoor Federation has asked the vice-chancellor of Mehran University to stop violating human rights of the employees, otherwise the federation will be forced to launch a movement against him.