TAXILA, Aug 20: After the dissolution of local government institutions and replacement of nazims with caretakers, several development projects in Taxila tehsil have come to a halt creating problems for people and contractors concerned.

According to information obtained by this correspondent, it was learnt that as soon as TMOs took over as caretakers of the tehsil municipal administrations and union councils, respectively, they were asked by the provincial government to carry out only day-to-day affairs and utilize non-development funds in their respective institutions.

The caretakers have been barred from initiating any new development and uplift project, making payments to contractors and issuing orders for all other payments for which bills were submitted by individuals and concerns on the orders of former nazims.

The Punjab government has also issued directives to the TMA caretakers to remain vigilant and see that neither any wrongdoing be committed by any official in connivance with former nazims and their associates nor underhand methods be employed by them for utilization of resources, machinery, equipment, buildings and staff for their personal gains.

The tehsil government and 10 union councils had approved the budget for the year 2005-06 but all such approvals were annulled by the Punjab government through a separate notification creating impediments for caretakers in using financial resources for carrying out important functions in their respective local councils.