JHANG, Feb 25: The Tehsil Municipal Administration’s (TMA) tehsil officer (I&S) has refused to clear payments for street remodelling and sewerage system that was built to facilitate a seminary in union council-89 without approval of the layout plan and other government requirements.

Sources said the government had imposed a ban on the construction and establishment of seminaries and mosques. According to the policy guidelines, an applicant interested in construction of either was required to get a registration certificate from the district government’s registrar office. The person was also required to file a map of the building along with the land ownership deed, police and special branch clearance certificates at the administration’s building branch. Approval for the construction was granted after the TMA high-ups observed legal formalities.

The sources said a few months back in the Attawali area of UC-89, some locals had established a seminary behind the Usmania mosque allegedly without the government’s approval. Concealing these facts, some TMA officials managed to get a project approved for the construction of a street and drainage system for the seminary and entrusted the work to a certain contactor.

During the construction, a conflict arose between the contractor and a neighbour of the allegedly unapproved seminary over the flow of sewerage. When the residents protested, the local police rushed to the scene and managed to control the situation.

TMO Anwar Baig and TO (I&S) Tariq Munir reached the spot and were informed about the unapproved seminary and working of the contractor against the TMA conditions. The contactor refused to stop construction work despite repeated warnings by the senior TMA officials.

Munir warned the contractor of holding payment for the project, but the contractor paid no heed and completed the street. Interestingly, TMA’s works supervisor had even prepared a payment bill of the project, the sources added.

Talking to the media, Anwar Baig and Tariq Munir said they would take up the matter with the TMA administrator and the government regarding the sensitivity of the issue.