ISLAMABAD, Dec 31: The services wing of Capital Development Authority (CDA) has given Rs0.35 million contract of illumination of important buildings in Islamabad for Saarc Summit to a firm without the approval, a source told Dawn on Tuesday.

The source said the CDA chairman, Kamran Lashari, had directed the directorate of municipal administration to engage any private firm to sponsor the illumination plan. However, the electric and mechanical directorate of the CDA awarded the contract in haste and did not go for the sponsorship.

The illumination of government buildings and other places is carried out by the directorate of municipal administration. However, the E&M directorate did it without any approval. The CDA chairman took a serious note and expressed dissatisfaction over the action of the E&M directorate, the source said.

In a meeting on Tuesday, the CDA chairman asked the official concerned that why extra expenditure was incurred on the Authority despite the fact that the illumination of important buildings could be done through a sponsor.

The director of municipal administration informed the chairman that he had contacted a tobacco company and two mobile telephone companies for the sponsorship. However, the E&M directorate did not wait for the response and awarded the contractor to a firm without informing the DMA.

When contacted, director E&M Ibrar Shah said his directorate had born the expenses of Rs0.15 million for illuminating pine trees. He said the illumination of buildings was not included in the contract.

The official said the tobacco company did not show its interest in illumination plan thus he could not wait for the company's response. Meanwhile, the director of municipal administration, Momin Agha, told Dawn that the E&M directorate had awarded the contract of Rs0.35 million to a firm for this purpose.

"We should wait for the companies' response to save the CDA money, but I do not know why the E&M directorate awarded the contract so hastily," he added.