Interim CM warns civic agencies’ to behave, improve city or face music
Imran
Interim CM warns
civic agencies’ to behave, improve city or face music
Orderes inquiry ,
forensic audit against STEVTA
Hyderabad Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Justice (R) Maqbool Baqar has said that the
inefficiency, corruption, and unwillingness to work have destroyed and defaced
the beautiful city of Hyderabad and he warned them [civic agencies] to behave,
otherwise he would be ruthless for the sake of this city and its people.
“I know you have
played havoc with every civic facility, neither the city is swept properly, nor
is the WASA running its sewerage and water supply network – the city is turning
into heaps of filth and garbage and soft encroachments are visible here and
there but all this mess is unacceptable and intolerable at all and the
responsible would face the music,” he said.
This he said while
presiding over a meeting with industrialists, traders, and the Chamber of
Commerce representatives here at the Commissioner's Office, Shahbaz Building.
The meeting was attended by Provincial Ministers - Ishwar Lal and Mubeen Jumani, Rasheed Solangi (Commissioner
Hyderabad), the DIG Hyderabad, Ghazanfar Qadri (MD SITE), MD HAD, MD WASA and
other relevant officers.
WASA: The CM was
told that WASA has a network of 3000 km water supply and 3500 3500 km sewerage
network, but the organization is short of staff to look after the entire huge
system. The MD WASA said that the old water lines needed to be repaired but
they [WASA] were experiencing a severe financial crisis. It was disclosed that
WASA had paid salaries up to August 2023 and the remaining salaries were yet to
be arranged and released.
To a question, the
CM was told that WASA has a staff of 3000 and the total salary of regular and
temporary employees and pension come to Rs810 million. To a question, the CM
was told that out of 3000 employees, 25 per cent mostly remain absent. At this,
the CM directed the MD to immediately remove the absentees and inform him.
The CM was told that
the total recovery of WASA was Rs60 million, of them 60 per cent of funds were
spent on payment of salaries and 40 per cent on repair and maintenance of the
network.
The Sindh government
provides Rs244 million quarterly to WASA. Minister Local Govt told the Chief
Minister that there was a serious issue of ghost and absent employees in the
various wings of local government, including WASA. He disclosed that the
salaries of the staff and pensions were being computerised to stop pilferages.
The CM directed the
WASA to improve its performance and improve its recoveries by developing an
efficient recovery system. The MD told the CM that WASA’s recovery was 60 per
cent. At this, the CM directed him to study the ways and means and outsource
its recoveries.
The CM was told that
the SITE Hyderabad has 350 industrial units and WASA has given them 400
connections. The total water bill of WASA comes to Rs3.5 million against which
their recovery stands at Rs2 million. At this, the CM directed WASA to
disconnect the water connection in case the industrial unit failed to clear its
bill in time.
Infrastructure Issue
at SITEs: The industrialists said that there were issues with the
infrastructure in the industrial estate - SITE Hyderabad and Nooriabad. They
suggested setting up another industrial estate in Hyderabad. At this, the CM
directed the Coordination Committee working under Commissioner Hyderabad to
prepare a scheme for the development of the infrastructure of the SITEs. He
added that the Sindh government would bear the expenditures, but the
industrialists would have to contribute some amount. The industrialists agreed
to the proposal.
Fire tenders: The industrialists told the CM that there was
no firefighting system in the city. Mayor Hyderabad Kashif Shoro told the CM
that hehas only eight fire tenders and…
