HYDERABAD, Oct 7: Members of the district council on Saturday demanded that a relief package should be announced for compensating damages to people’s property and crops caused by recent heavy rains.

They called for restoration of subsidy of Water and Sanitation Agency which had been discontinued since 1992.

Initiating the debate in the council meeting on Saturday, Parveen Lodhi and Sajida Baloch said that people faced great hardships following heavy rainfall in the city as water could not be drained out from residential areas for weeks.

Referring to her telephonic conversation with EDO (revenue) Abdul Sattar Jato, Ms Baloch accused him of misbehaving with her when she asked about availability of ration packets in her UC.

Mohammad Ahsan criticised leaders of political and religious parties who tried to gain political mileage out of post-rain situation though practically they did nothing. He came hard on an opposition MNA for saying that the river embankment was cut to inundate Latifabad.

He said that the HDA was primarily responsible for it as it did not have basic planning how to handle such a situation.

He urged the prime minister and chief minister to announce specific package for the rehabilitation of infrastructure destroyed during rains.

He said that he failed to understand the purpose of declaring Latifabad and Qasimabad talukas as calamity affected in absence of any such grant.

He said that people needed relief in taxes and compensation for damages.

Khan Mohammad Chandio said that still four to five feet water was standing in some graveyards in his UC-15.

He said that pumping machines were installed in the areas and diesel was provided but now they had disappeared.

He said that his UC did not get any kind of relief as if it was not a part of the district.

Ruling PML-backed Khushhal Pakistan Panel’s Rana Rashid tied a black cloth on his mouth to lodge his protest that he was not being allowed to speak.

The convenor repeatedly asked him to express his views while Rashid Khan, Mehboob Abro and Zahida Memon requested him to end his protest.

He expressed his disappointment that despite his repeated contacts the district nazim remained unavailable.

He said that only one electric machine was provided to him by Wasa but that too was faulty.

He said that an executive engineer of Wasa visited the area and promised to submit his report to the district nazim but the latter did not meet him at his residence.

He spoke about corruption in government offices and particularly quoted a tapedar’s conduct who was not disposing of a legal matter of his UC.

He said that people were laying siege to his office to demand that the area be cleared of rainwater but he felt totally helpless.

Haji Ashraf said that Wasa officials did not clear gutter lines in Latifabad and if rising main were laid by the sanitation agency then such situation would not have arisen.

He thanked to MQM workers for distribution of ration in his UC. He criticised water consumers for not paying their utility bills in 75 per cent of cases.

Nasir Gaddi said that the district government spent Rs100 million while the provincial government gave Rs32 million.

He said that the district nazim gave due attention to Qasimabad taluka like Latifabad.

KKP’s Nasir Baloch said that the HDA and Wasa were dependent on the district government as far as resources were concerned.

He agreed with his colleague that political parties made it a political issue as they were only interested in photo sessions instead of providing any material help to rain-affected families.