LAHORE, Aug 22: The district coordination officer has said only Rs1 billion are available for development out of the Rs6.2 billion city district government budget. Addressing businessmen and industrialists at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Monday, Khalid Sultan said Rs5.2 billion (83.87 per cent) city district government budget was non-development. The CDG raised only Rs500 million and the remaining Rs5.7 billion were provided to it by the provincial government.
He said the policy of continuing installation of new tubewells and direct pumping of water into the supply system would have to be reviewed to avoid the possibility of suction of brackish water from nearby districts into the sweet water aquifer of the city. The Water and Sanitation Agency was pumping out an average of 300 million gallons of water daily with an equal quantity being pumped by the Defence Housing Authority, the Model Town Cooperative Society and industrial units. Not only the duration of pumping hours would have to be decreased but overhead water reservoirs would have to be built for stopping direct pumping of water into the supply system, he said.
He said the plan for development of a lake in northern part of the city was awaiting clearance of the army as it was proposed to be developed in the strategic restricted area.
Referring to the demand for steps for improvement in the law and order situation and establishment of a police-businessmen liaison desk, he said the chamber should take up the matter with the DIG directly as the police enjoyed autonomy under the new law, and he could only make recommendations to it.
He said parking had become a serious problem owing to a rapid increase in the number of motorvehicles. An average of 10,000 vehicles were being registered in the city every month owing to the leasing facility. The business community should identify suitable sites, and the CDG would consider entering into joint ventures for the construction of parking plazas. He said the grievances of the business community regarding the behaviour of parking contractors and lifting of vehicles would be redressed.
The DCO said the town municipal administrations were authorized to ask for the production of site plans of industrial units under the law. The CDG could recommend concessions for the approval of site plans to the provincial government.
He said the demand for discontinuing double taxation by abolishing some of the taxes being collected by both the provincial government and the CDG or the town municipal administrations should be taken up with the former directly. Matters relating to property tax should be discussed with the executive district officer (revenue), he said.
He said the business community should take notice of marketing of fake consumer products by the Shahalam traders. The city government had detected more than 500 cases of marketing of unhealthy food products and other products in the area.
The DCO told MNA Pervaiz Malik that his demand for regularizing industrial units in Shafiqabad could not be accepted as the area was located in the bed of the Ravi where site plans could not be sanctioned for the construction of buildings under the government policy.
He said a summary for the election of Model Town Cooperative Society office-bearers had been forwarded to the government for approval. The businessmen should help the CDG in removal of encroachments by avoiding subletting the space in front of their shops, he said.
District officer (environment) Tariq Zaman said industries in the Chuhng area on Musktna Road were polluting water courses by discharging effluents without treatment. Steel rerolling mills in northern Lahore were also polluting environment by burning tyres.
Answering a question about the closure of the Garhi Shahu railway bridge, a Lahore Development Authority official said it would be opened after repairs after one and a half month. The bridge had been damaged owing to heat emitted by diesel locomotives which remained parked under it for five to six hours daily, he said.
Chamber president Mian Misbahur Rehman stressed the need for improving the law and order situation as it was hampering the economic growth. He also stressed the need for the establishment of a police-businessman liaison desk and construction of parking plazas in high traffic concentration areas like M.M. Alam Road, Ichhra, Gulberg, Hall Road, Shahrah-i-Quaid-i-Azam, Circular Road and the Walled City. He said town municipal administrations should be directed to regularize the buildings of industrial units by charging a fee for new construction.
Senior vice-president Sohal Lashari stressed the need for steps to avoid double taxation and removal of massive encroachments in industrial and commercial areas.