HYDERABAD, July 29: The Taluka Nazim, City, Hyderabad, Haji Moenuddin Shaikh, has demanded that the Sindh government provide at least Rs50 million immediately for the construction and repairs of city roads, which had been totally destroyed during the heavy rains.

He was speaking at a press conference at his office on Tuesday.

He said the situation in the city Taluka was much better when compared to the other two Talukas of Hyderabad because before the monsoon season he had cleansed all Nullahs and drains in the most sensitive parts of the city such as Bakra Mandi, Rishi Ghat, Liaquat Colony, Firdaus Colony, Muslim Town and other areas.

Nevertheless, he said, unprecedented rains, which have continued for three weeks, have totally destroyed the main roads.

He said the Phulelli Canal was posing a grave danger to the densely populated areas of the city but the irrigation department had miserably failed to strengthen its embankments which it should have done at least two months before the monsoon season.

He demanded that the irrigation department strengthen the embankments of the Phulelli Canal right from the Kali Mori Bridge to the Old Powerhouse.

He demanded that a grill should be raised on the 2,500-ft-long wall on the New Phulelli Canal as one person had already drowned.

He held Wasa responsible for the collapse of the sewerage system. He demanded the immediate removal of the managing director, Wasa, who had not taken appropriate measures to cleanse the sewerage lines before the monsoon season.

He said many out of order pumps should have been repaired before the start of the monsoon season.

He said eight months back he had personally asked Wasa to construct 80 manholes for the smooth flow of sewage but only 15 manholes were constructed in five months.

The city Nazim said that it appeared as if “some hidden hands” wanted to destroy this historic city commercially and economically.

He did not agree with a questioner that Wasa was short of funds.

He pointed out that when he assumed the charge of city Nazim, the city Taluka had no funds even to pay salaries to its employees who were holding protests on the roads.

However, he claimed, through his own resources he had spent Rs8 million on the construction of Nullahs and drains and saved Rs1,800,000 under the POL head.

He said the council had also launched commercial schemes, such as bus terminal, which will cost Rs140 million, and other schemes in Phulelli and Tora Chari.