HYDERABAD, Sept 2: District Nazim Kanwar Naveed Jamil has directed taluka nazims to ensure cleanliness and lighting arrangements in all the graveyards of Hyderabad before Shab-i-Barat.

Diesel trolleys should be arranged to drain out rainwater accumulated in graveyards, he said during his visit to various city graveyards on Friday.

He said people should not suffer any inconvenience during their visit to graveyards on the sacred night to offer Fateha for their relatives.

Kanwar Jamil directed that like the Tando Yousuf graveyard, lighting towers should be installed in all other cemeteries of Qasimabad and city talukas.

The district nazim also visited the graveyards of minorities in Tando Yousuf where more rainwater had accumulated than other areas. The taluka nazim Latifabad told the district nazim that big amount of water had accumulated in this graveyard as it was located in the low-lying area.

He, however, said water was being drained out through a diesel trolley and added that a pumping station was also being established there for permanent arrangements for which tenders had already been floated.

Town Municipal Officer (infrastructure) Azhar Qadir Memon and other officials concerned were present on the occasion.

ENCROACHMENTS: During his visit to the Guddu park on Friday, the district nazim directed that all encroachments in the park should be removed forthwith and a water park should be established.

Kanwar Naveed Jamil expressed his dissatisfaction over the maintenance of the park and directed the taluka nazim and the officials concerned to start renovation work immediately.

HERITAGE: The district nazim has said that a task force has been appointed for the protection of national heritage and added that an initially Rs30 million has been allocated for the renovation and beautification of the main gate of Pacca Qilla, its museum, roundabouts in the city, tombs of Mirs and other historical and cultural buildings.

He said this during his visit to the tombs of Mirs in Hirabad on Friday.

Taluka nazim city Javed Jabbar and officials of the departments concerned accompanied the district nazim.

The nazim regretted that some historical buildings were in bad condition and if immediate steps were not taken for their repair, maintenance and preservation, they would destroy.

He said that to protect and preserve the national heritage of Sindh, a task force headed by EDO (Revenue) Abdus Sattar Jatoo, archaeology deputy director and officers of the district government departments concerned had already been appointed.

He said the district government had released Rs30 million to the task force to initiate the work without any delay.

HCCI ELECTIONS: The Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry has issued the schedule for holding its annual elections for eight vacant seats of the executive committee.

Elections for four vacant seats of member class and an equal number of associate class will be held at the chamber’s secretariat on Sept 21.

Nomination forms will be issued on Sept 7, and received on Sept 14. Candidates can withdraw their nominations by Sept 20, at 3pm.

The executive committee will hold its first meeting on Sept 23, to elect new office-bearers for 2006-07.

LEASE CONDEMNED: Secretary-general of the Muttahida Labour Federation of Pakistan, Khamoos Gul Khattak, has condemned the leasing out of the Lakhra powerhouse Jamshoro for 20 years to a multinational company.

In a statement issued here on Friday, he said the move was aimed at handing over the Lakhra coal field to a particular group. Hundreds of powerhouse workers would be rendered jobless, he said.

He demanded that the government should rescind the lease.